3 Things the Cardinals Have Learned from First Year of Rebuild

The St. Louis Cardinals have learned some important lessons from the 2026 season.

Sep 13, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Chicago White Sox left fielder Sam Antonacci (17) is tagged out in a rundown by St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman (16) during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026 season has been a learning experience for the St. Louis Cardinals and their young core. The future appears bright for the first time in a very long time, and there are a lot of things for the fanbase to look forward to.

Despite their record, 2026 has largely been a success considering where the expectations were, but the Cardinals have also learned some very valuable lessons about the future of the organization and where the team is headed in the next few years.

Here are three things they have learned from 2026 and what they can take into 2027.

Matthew Liberatore is not a starter

Sep 5, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) reacts after a wild pitch scores a run for the Colorado Rockies during the fifth inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Matthew Liberatore showed signs of promise as a starter in 2025, but hit a wall halfway through the year and still hasn't quite found his footing. 2026 has been a nightmare season for the left-hander, who is 5-14 with a 5.53 ERA.

There isn't anything left for him to learn in the minor leagues, so sending him down to Triple-A wouldn't be a good idea. However, it's clear that he is not a major league starting pitcher and would be better served pitching out of the bullpen. The Cardinals have a lot of other options that are better than Liberatore that they can use in 2027.

It's time to move on from Nolan Gorman

Sep 13, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Chicago White Sox left fielder Sam Antonacci (17) beats the tag from St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman (16) for a triple during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When Nolan Arenado was traded, third base was finally opened up for Nolan Gorman. This was his chance to prove himself as an everyday player. However, he has proven that it's time for the Cardinals to move on from him. He's slashing .185/.263/.315 with nine home runs, 32 RBI, a .578 OPS and a -0.3 WAR.

Thomas Saggese has been playing well lately, and the Cardinals also got a lot of solid production out of Blaze Jordan, so there are better options at third base, even if they don't go out and sign somebody in the offseason.

He has power, but has never been able to put it together in terms of hitting for average or even getting on base. He simply strikes out too much, and it would be better for the Cardinals to look elsewhere when assessing third base.

Ivan Herrera is a designated hitter, not a catcher

Sep 13, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera (48) at bat against the Chicago White Sox during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ivan Herrera's bat is simply too valuable to not have in the starting lineup, and he is somebody the Cardinals need to build around. The Cardinals also have a lot of catchers, and Herrera has been part of that group.

However, his defense behind the plate hasn't improved much, if at all. And with Leo Bernal on the roster and Rainiel Rodriguez on the way, there simply is not room for Herrera to continue catching, especially if his defense doesn't improve.

So, while he does need to stay in the lineup, his future is as a designated hitter, not a catcher.