4 St. Louis Cardinals on Roster Bubble Ahead of Playoff Push

The St. Louis Cardinals are certainly in the hunt for a National League Wild Card spot, although they would currently be on the outside looking in if the 2026 season were to end today.

After splitting a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, the Cardinals are 64-62 on the season and three games out of a Wild Card spot at the moment. The Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and the San Diego Padres currently hold the three Wild Card spots. The Cardinals, Miami Marlins and the Arizona Diamondbacks are the top three teams on the outside looking in. The Diamondbacks are one game out whereas the Cardinals and Marlins are both three games out.

St. Louis has 36 games left and it's certainly going to be an interesting stretch run.

This past weekend, we've already seen the Cardinals make a big change in order to give themselves a better shot down the stretch by promoting young outfielder Joshua Báez. Between now and the end of the season, it's going to be interesting to see what else the Cardinals do to try to upgrade this roster. With that being said, here are four bubble guys to watch from here on out.

Jimmy Crooks — Catcher

Aug 16, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jimmy Crooks (8) walks back to the dugout after scoring against the Chicago Cubs during the fourth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 25-year-old shined in Triple-A early on this season and earned his promotion to the big leagues, but he hasn't been able to get his offense going. Crooks is slashing .183/.258/.330 with a .588 OPS, four home runs, 12 RBIs, and nine runs scored in 44 games.

No. 7 overall prospect Leo Bernal is knocking on the big league door down in Triple-A and should get a shot at some point down the stretch.

Bryan Torres — Utility

Aug 14, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Bryan Torres (39) reacts after striking out against the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The rookie has played in 52 games so far this season and has been a positive for the club overall. He has played all over the place, but is batting just .229 right now. Fellow utility man Ramón Urías is on the mend and is on a minor league rehab assignment right now with Triple-A Memphis. Soon enough, he'll be ready to roll.

Ryne Stanek — Reliever

Aug 11, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryne Stanek (55) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Stanek has made 54 appearances for the Cardinals this season and has a 4.47 ERA. The Cardinals have stuck by him all season to this point. It would be a bit of a surprise to see a change, but the bullpen is always a revolving door, especially down the stretch. So, nothing can be ruled out.

Matthew Liberatore — Starter

Aug 14, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Liberatore was nails his last time out. The big lefty tossed 5 1/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 4 and allowed just two runs. He has a 3.86 ERA over his last three starts, but a 5.07 ERA on the season. Quinn Mathews has made two appearances in the rotation this season and has been very good. If there is going to be a change in the rotation to make room for Mathews consistently, it seems like Liberatore would be the guy to watch.

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