Cardinals Dark-Horse Bullpen Option Would Be Feel-Good Story

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to look very different when they take the field on Opening Day to begin the 2026 season than they did when they last played a game to conclude the 2025 campaign.

Now, let's get the obvious out of the way. Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras will not be walking through the door. They were four prominent members of the 2025 team have since been traded. That much everyone knows at this point, if you have been following along with the club throughout the offseason. If not, then Opening Day may be a shock for you.

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This is going to be a very young team with upside. With having so many young guys, there will probably be stretches in which St. Louis looks great, and others when it can't string a win together. Young rosters typically lead to a bit of inconsistency as the guys try to figure out their places in the league. While the 2026 season may not end up looking great from a standings point of view, it is going to be integral for the long-term health of the organization for St. Louis to discover where it is set on the roster and where it needs to add veteran talent.

The Cardinals lefty has worked his way back from injuries

Apr 3, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Packy Naughton (70) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

With such a young roster, that also means that there will be opportunities for guys to come out in Spring Training and win jobs. Think of the bullpen, for example. The Cardinals entered the 2025 season with Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton and Steven Matz on the roster and then traded them all away ahead of the trade deadline. The bullpen in general is up for grabs right now as players have exited. One intriguing name to watch for St. Louis comes by way of Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat. He shared on X that lefty Packy Naughton is fully healthy and set up for his first "regular" Spring Training since 2023.

"Packy Naughton says he is fully healthy and set up for a regular spring program for the first time since 2023. Don’t sleep on him as a candidate for the second lefty slot in the bullpen," Jones wrote.

If Naughton can make the big league club out of camp, that would be a feel-good story for St. Louis. The 29-year-old lefty hasn't pitched in a big league game since 2023. He had to undergo surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his left elbow. He made 15 appearances down in the minors in 2024 and had a 2.21 ERA, but then had to miss the entire 2025 season after another surgery.

When healthy, Naughton has shown in his stint in the Cardinals' organization that he has upside. But he has been dealt a tough hand over and over. The fact that he's healthy now is huge and hopefully, he is able to win a job.

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