The St. Louis Cardinals made a lot of progress in 2026, which means that their rebuild is going exactly as planned. It still may be a while before they are postseason contenders again, but the most painful part of the rebuild, trading players away, is likely over.
The Cardinals likely won't do anything super crazy in the offseason, but they can still make some upgrades to give themselves a better shot at making it to the playoffs next year. Here are a few moves that would make sense and one that would not as the Cardinals look towards the 2027 season.
Makes sense: Bring Back Dustin May
The Cardinals will likely need to find a starting pitcher this offseason, preferably somebody who is relatively young and potentially looking to rebuild his value. They did that with Dustin May this season and ultimately traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers, but his numbers in Milwaukee weren't great, so he may be looking for another short-term commitment.
In that case, it would make sense for the Cardinals to try and bring him back to fill their rotation needs. The young pitchers leaned on him as a veteran leader, so having that presence back could really benefit the Cardinals. He also shouldn't be too expensive for a team that is rebuilding.
Makes sense: Bring Back JoJo Romero
JoJo Romero went to the Brewers with May at the trade deadline. The Cardinals' bullpen certainly felt his absence when he went on the injured list. But it will be important to replenish the bullpen for 2027, since that was the biggest weakness in 2026. They'll probably have to look for higher leverage arms this time around, and Romero would make perfect sense.
They'll need more than just Justin Bruihl as a left-handed relief option. He may cost more than other relievers, but he was a steady presence for several years in that bullpen, and it would make sense to try and bring him back along with May if possible.
Romero also earned the win in Game 4 of the NLCS for the Brewers as they swept the Los Angeles Dodgers en route to the World Series.
Doesn't make sense: Signing Alec Bohm
After several years, the Philadelphia Phillies look ready to move on from Alec Bohm. He's a free agent at the end of the World Series, and the Cardinals do have a hole there. They aren't sure if Blaze Jordan and Thomas Saggese are the best options for the future.
However, Bohm certainly isn't. He slashed .249/.315/.383 with 15 RBI, a -0.2 WAR and a .698 OPS in 2026. His defense also wasn't up to par.
The Cardinals can afford to sign a short-term third baseman, but there are better options than Bohm, so that's where they need to look.
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