3 Alarming Takeaways From Cardinals' 77-85 2026 Season

The St. Louis Cardinals had a lot to like about the 2026 season, but there were concerns as well.

Aug 25, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) throws against the Baltimore Orioles during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There was a lot to like about the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals, but also a few concerning things about the campaign.

When fans look back on the campaign, it should be viewed positively because of the fact that it was clear progress in Chaim Bloom's first season leading the charge as the team's president of baseball operations. The Cardinals traded most of their veterans away and really let the kids play as St. Louis attempts to chart out who will be in the core moving forward. From that perspective, the season was a win thanks to guys like JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, Kyle Leahy, Michael McGreevy, Alec Burleson, Andre Pallante, Leo Bernal and Joshua Baez, and more. The Cardinals have a lot of intriguing young guys who can take this team back to contention as they continue to progress and reinforcements are added.

But it wasn't the best campaign for everyone. In fact, there are a few players who had concerning campaigns.

Matthew Liberatore

Aug 19, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Tanner Pearson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Liberatore has the talent to be really good in the majors. But he wasn't able to showcase it in 2026. Liberatore made 31 starts and had a 5.23 ERA in 155 innings pitched. This is the guy who was the Cardinals' Opening Day starter to kick off the 2026 season. In 2025, he had a 4.21 ERA in 29 starts in what is the best season of his career so far. From 2022 through 2025, his ERA got better each season. The big lefty entered the 2026 season with momentum, but wasn't able to capitalize on it.

It's important to note that Liberatore is just 26 years old. He's young enough to believe that St. Louis can get him back on track. But it shouldn't be a guarantee right now that he's in the 2027 rotation. In Spring Training, it should be a competition.

Nolan Gorman

Sep 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman (16) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Over the last few years, Gorman's potential has been talked about a lot, along with his offensive inconsistencies. Gorman has elite power when he gets the bat on the ball. But he batted .184 in 85 games in the majors in 2026 with a .272 on-base percentage. Those aren't sustainable numbers. He was sent down to the minors during the summer and came back down the stretch. Unfortunately, his bat never got going.

Victor Scott II

Sep 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II (11) catches a fly ball against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Like Gorman, Scott was demoted down to Triple-A throughout the 2026 season. Defensively, Scott was great. But he didn't show progress with his bat. In 2025, he batted .216. In 2026, Scott batted .193 with a .270 on-base percentage. For as good as Scott's glove is, if he can't get on base, he can't be in the lineup.