Cardinals Hall of Famer Shares Optimistic Outlook for 2026 Team

This former Cardinal sounds optimistic

Oct 1, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pinch hitter Matt Holliday (7) hits an rbi single against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-Imagn Images | Scott Rovak-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have been productive this offseason, with Chaim Bloom having already made several blockbuster trades. The most recent deal sent slugger Willson Contreras to the Boston Red Sox to join former Cardinals ace Sonny Gray.

The Cardinals are clearly in rebuild mode and more than likely will not be a contender in 2026. Instead, they’ll be looking towards the future and what they can do to build a consistent contender several years down the road.

However, despite the recent trades, Cardinals Hall of Famer Matt Holliday still feels optimistic, and made a bold prediction for the 2026 team.

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Matt Holliday Remains Optimistic About Cardinals In 2026

Feb 25, 2025; Dunedin, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter JJ Wetherholt (87) prepares for batting practice before a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

“You have two potential rotation guys that you can add immediately, and then I think you sell them on JJ Wetherholt,” Holliday said. “You sell them on young players getting opportunities. I don’t think the team is taking a huge step back from last year as far as potentially winning games, because I think young players get better.”

Holliday was a World Series champion with the Cardinals in 2011, and he was a part of a lot of winning teams in St. Louis, so he can attest to the team defying the odds and becoming better than expected.

But he is correct that the Cardinals have in some ways taken some steps forward. They may not contend in 2026, but they might be better than expected thanks to the depth they have received in trades on the pitching side.

The Cardinals also may not be done adding pieces to the roster. This doesn’t mean they’ll be a playoff team, but it does mean that they can take steps forward and be better than expected in 2026.

The young arms they acquired bring upside and can help the team almost immediately. They can compete for rotation spots and be potential upgrades over pitchers who struggled like Andre Pallante and Miles Mikolas.

Next offseason, the Cardinals could also look to spend more money and add players that can help them win now as opposed to just focusing on the future, as Holliday predicts. But it will be interesting to see the team in action, even though it may not be the best roster they have ever put together.

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