Following a sweep at the hands of the Giants and sitting at a 72-75 record with 15 games to go, the Cardinals’ pursuit of a postseason berth is all but over. But there are still reasons to tune in down the stretch.
These last few weeks still hold importance as they build for the future. Here are three things to watch:
1. Let the kids play
Regardless of what the Cardinals' final record ends up being, the future is bright given the level of young talent up and down their system. And it would behoove the Cardinals to take every opportunity to see what their young talent can do each game down the stretch.
Recent debuts by Leo Bernal (Cards' No. 7 prospect, per MLB Pipeline) and Cooper Hjerpe (No. 18) have added to the fresh names getting a look right now. Both players have had excellent starts to their Major League careers and could be in line for significant roles with the club next season.
Joshua Báez (No. 3), who went cold after a historic three-home-run performance in his Major League debut, has heated up at the plate as of late, slashing .313/.353/.604 in his last 15 games. Letting rookies have some runway typically results in some up-and-down results, but that’s going to be critical for the growth of each of these players.
Finding playing time for these young players has to be a priority the rest of the way.
2. See who makes the most of their second chance
This is also a time when the Cardinals can gather more information on other young big leaguers who have struggled this year and in recent years. That group includes Nolan Gorman, Victor Scott II and Thomas Saggese, all of whom have spent significant time in Triple-A Memphis this year trying to reclaim their roles with the Major League club.
Scott has yet to start a game since being called up on Sept. 1, and Gorman has seen the same struggles plague him at the plate since his Aug. 25 return. But Saggese has run with his opportunity thus far.
Since his return on Aug. 29, Saggese is slashing .444/.488/.778 with three home runs and three doubles in 43 plate appearances. He has played impressive defense as well. Saggese is making a strong case for a utility role with the club in 2027 and could even compete for the starting third-base job.
The Cardinals will have to make decisions on the fits of all three players this offseason, so these final games can play a significant role in that evaluation.
3. Play competitive baseball
That might sound obvious, but it’s true. Playing good baseball down the stretch helps the future, as it shows signs of a young club continuing to take steps forward.
Sure, every loss improves the Cardinals' Draft Lottery odds, but with a farm system that’s ranked fourth in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, and a young Major League team that has fought hard all year, it would be more meaningful to the Cardinals' future to finish strong.
With so much of this roster slated to return in 2027, winning down the stretch helps establish a culture of success. Had the Cardinals been more consistent in their execution in other parts of the summer, they’d probably be right in the thick of the postseason chase today. While they can’t go back and change those outcomes now, they can fight to have a strong finish to their campaign.
Individual performances will hold the most weight over the final two weeks, but the ultimate goal is for those to come together and lead to winning baseball. There’s been strong evidence of that at various points of this season, and the Cardinals would love to see their young core put its best foot forward in the final games of this season.