While there has been chatter left and right about the parity around Major League Baseball, it's actually better than you'd expect by just scrolling social media.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have dominated over the last two years, but there have been seven different champions over the last 10 years. In 2026, there will be a new champion as well. In fact, we'll have a first-time winner as the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays face off in the World Series. This should give St. Louis Cardinals fans hope.
First and foremost, again, the parity isn't as bad as you'd expect. If a club can get into the playoffs, they can go on a run. Obviously, you have to get to the postseason in the first place. Back in 2023, the Arizona Diamondbacks made it all the way to the World Series after winning just 84 games in the regular season. In baseball, any team can win on a given day.
The Cardinals Should Have Hope
When it comes to the Brewers and the Rays, these are the type of teams the Cardinals are building themselves based on. St. Louis' farm system is loaded and the club has been trying to build with the youth of the organization and identify core pieces to build around into the future. St. Louis isn't like the Dodgers or the New York Yankees. The Cardinals don't win by going out and buying all the top talent. The Cardinals need to draft and develop and build from within, and then add pieces to complement the core. That's what the Brewers and Rays have done and it has worked for them.
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom spent time leading the charge over in Tampa Bay. The strategy that has led to consistent success in Tampa Bay is what the Cardinals are trying to do now. Plus, it's important to note that the Rays won 77 games in 2025. In 2026, they won 98 games and led the American League. That's how quickly things can change, if done well. The Cardinals won 77 games in 2026. Now, of course, it's a lot to ask out of a club to go through such a large transformation in a year. But it is possible.
The Brewers-Rays World Series may not be what some fans wanted to see. But these are the two teams that have played the best all season and they have been rewarded with the trip. The Cardinals aren't quite there yet, but these are the teams for St. Louis fans to watch closely. It's easier said than done to rebuild and create a core. But the Cardinals took a step in the right direction in 2026. The Brewers and the Rays are the types of teams St. Louis will be like when it is at its best. Clearly, that type of team is good enough to go on a run.
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