MLB Innings Leaders Show Exactly What Cardinals Are Missing

The Cardinals' rotation is solid, but doesn't have this type of pitcher right now.

Sep 1, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) pitches during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026 season has largely been a success for the St. Louis Cardinals given what the expectations were entering the season. After making four blockbuster trades, the team seemed destined for a last-place finish. But that hasn't happened.

Instead, the Cardinals still have faint hopes of earning a wild card spot. While they likely wouldn't last long in the postseason, getting there would be good for their younger players and set the stage for a bright future.

To go deep in the postseason though, a team typically needs an ace, or a starter that can eat innings. Tyler Kepner of The Athletic posted a screenshot of starters leading Major League Baseball in innings pitched, which shows exactly what the Cardinals are missing.

200 innings! You love to see it. The quaint pitching benchmark survives. 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/PZjQPxLwte

— Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) September 9, 2026

Cardinals missing innings eaters

Sep 8, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (52) delivers a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The top two pitchers on the list are former Cardinals Sandy Alcantara and Michael Wacha. Alcantara was traded away in 2017 and Wacha left after the 2019 season. The Cardinals did have pitchers like Sonny Gray, Miles Mikolas, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson all as recently as 2024. Those pitchers could typically cover innings.

The best examples in Cardinals history are pitchers like Adam Wainwright, Bob Gibson and Chris Carpenter. Perhaps this is something the Cardinals can look for in the offseason.

Obviously, they can't bring back the retired greats, but there will be some solid starters available in free agency, including Gray. Having somebody who can eat innings could set them on a better path for 2027. Their rotation is serviceable, but doesn't have that anchor, so the trade of Gray in the offseason is the one that hurts the most, even though it needed to happen.

The Cardinals still may be a year or two away from being back in the postseason, but adding a veteran starter or an ace in the hole could get them closer to where they want to be. It doesn't even necessarily have to be somebody that they have to spend a lot of money on, but just somebody that can take the pressure off the bullpen and give them a break when needed, as the bullpen has been used a lot this season.

They have the pitching depth in the organization to get through a season, but now it's time for them to supplement that depth so they can take the next step towards becoming relevant again. They may not be as far off as people think.