Could Cardinals Follow Phillies Blueprint To Success? Club President Weighs In

The Cardinals are in a bind, but there might be a way out of it if they use their resources wisely.

Feb 26, 2025; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. (85) hat sits in the dugout against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth inning during spring training at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have finished below the .500 mark twice in the last three seasons and missed the postseason in all three of those seasons. They have watched ticket sales and attendance decline during that span.

Now, they are set to rebuild under Chaim Bloom, who took over as president of baseball operations at the end of last month. But as they assess their payroll, things may look a little bit different in 2026.

The Philadelphia Phillies had a similar situation after being knocked out of the playoffs by the Cardinals in 2011, but they bounced back years later thanks to some major free agent signings. Club president Bill DeWitt III recently weighed in on whether the Cardinals could follow that strategy to get back into contention soon.

"The timing of that seems like it’s more about how things play out in the offseason. You can envision a deal coming your way that is proactive from a payroll standpoint, and you can envision that being an opportunity. I wouldn’t rule it out. I also wouldn’t say, yeah, that’s our strategy," DeWitt said.

Could Cardinals Follow Phillies Blueprint To Rebuild?

Oct 8, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) reacts as he scores a run during the fourth inning in game three of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

This coming offseason, the Cardinals likely won't go crazy in terms of spending, but when the 2026 season is over, we could see them shift their strategy a little bit.

The Cardinals rarely sign players to megadeals, and the Phillies committed to Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Aaron Nola. Bloom himself has rarely followed that strategy.

But it might be wise to at least consider it. The Phillies got back into contention by adding star players. The Cardinals roster currently doesn't have a superstar on it, and they are hoping to draft and develop their next wave of talent.

That wasn't the strategy that the Phillies wanted to follow before landing Harper. While DeWitt didn't rule out the idea of major free agent additions soon, he also did not seem to want to deviate from the current strategy.

Instead, look for the Cardinals to sign value free agents to shorter term deals this coming winter, and likely going forward. Ultimately, the Cardinals need to pick a lane and stick to it, rather than not going all-in on contending or rebuilding.

DeWitt's comments send some mixed messages to the fanbase, which might not receive those comments too well after another losing season.

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