Bloom evaluates Cards ahead of crucial offseason

ST. LOUIS -- One of the benefits of Chaim Bloom being an advisor for the Cardinals over the past two seasons, prior to taking over as the club’s president of baseball operations, was the relationships he could build with players prior to becoming their boss.

Bloom, who started his new job in earnest on Tuesday following the departure of John Mozeliak, is hopeful that his extensive time spent around the club will ease his transition and better inform his future decisions.

“One of the things that my last role allowed me to do -- because my phone wasn’t always ringing with the day-to-day [responsibilities] -- I had the opportunity to sit down with a lot of people, get to know them and see the organization through their eyes,” said Bloom, who regularly set up lunch meetings with Cardinals players throughout the 2025 season. “There will be a learning curve even now, but to be able to shorten that and people can understand me a little more and I can understand them -- I understand some of the dynamics of this organization and the people, and that would normally take a year or two. To be able to have those conversations, it’s been enjoyable, but I also think it’s going to be valuable.”

That value should come into play as Bloom attempts to remake a roster that could be somewhat in flux. Veteran stars Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray have each made it be known that they would prefer to play for championship-contending teams in the latter stages of their careers. Meanwhile, the Cards must decide how to proceed with young sluggers Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker, who got ample playing time in 2025, but continued to struggle mightily at the plate.

Bloom’s reconnaissance work over the past two seasons is sure to shape many of the roster moves he must make before the 2026 season. With that thought in mind, here are some of Bloom’s feelings about key pieces on a Cardinals roster that is sure to change this offseason:

On Arenado’s wishes to play for a contender: “I think we all recognize that -- just where he's at and where we're at -- that there may be a better fit somewhere else. So we are, along with him, going to explore that. It is something that I think we're on the same page as to, ‘Hey, this makes sense to look at.’ … I just don’t see [a release] as a something that’s smart for us to do. So, if we’re unable to find that fit [elsewhere], then we’d be happy to have him back and we wouldn’t release him.”

On Gray possibly wanting to pitch elsewhere in 2026: “With Sonny, the situation is a little bit different in that we do have a clear fit for him here, and he's enjoyed playing here. He's said very complimentary things to me about his time with the organization. I shared with him where we're headed, and I think he would be perfectly happy and a perfectly good teammate and contributor if he's here. But you know, we're going to see what's out there, and [see] if there's something that could make sense for us that furthers our goals, that he also wants to do.”

On Masyn Winn’s future: “I think he’s just scratching the surface of who he can be. He’s still learning what his best self looks like at the plate and where his ceiling is. The thing I’ve liked about him since I’ve gotten to know him is that a lot of young players will find a way out of the line when there’s a reason. But he likes to play. He plays, he’s posts and he’s a fighter.”

On what Gorman proved: “In Nolan's case, he's shown it at this level, he showed flashes this year, but he just hasn't been able to stay there consistently. For him, coming into the offseason with a consistent and clear idea of who he wants to be and something that he believes in -- enough that it can withstand the ups and downs of the season and be something he’s willing to stick with it and he doesn't end up searching -- that'll be really important for him.”

On Walker’s potential and need for urgency: “The offseason is going to be the real test of trying to really cement [the adjustments] and have them be second nature. I don't know that the comfort level was ever fully there [in 2025]. … I do think with this type of talent, this type of player, we are eventually going to see those results at the big-league level, for his sake. For our sake as an organization, we need that to happen soon.”