One Signing Paying Dividends for Cardinals in 2026, One Falling Short

The Cardinals made a few signings this offseason.

Sep 11, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; A detailed view of the 9/11 ribbon on a St. Louis Cardinals hat in the dugout before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals may have torn down their roster last offseason, but they are actually playing solid baseball to start the 2026 season. They are heading home to play the Boston Red Sox after going 7-5 in their first 12 games.

They still managed to make some solid signings this offseason to bolster their roster for 2026, so Chaim Bloom isn't necessarily waiving the white flag. Some moves are working out just fine for St. Louis, while others haven't exactly inspired a lot of confidence.

Here is one signing that is paying off for St. Louis and another that hasn't exactly worked out so far.

Ramon Urias signing paying off for St. Louis

Sep 28, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Ramon Urias (29) is greeted by teammates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images

After all the trades St. Louis made, they needed some right-handed power off the bench. They couldn't find it in an outfielder, so they shifted to infielders, where they landed on Ramon Urias.

Urias was originally signed by the Cardinals before his career began and was with the organization for a few years before joining the Baltimore Orioles. So far this season, he is hitting .250/.318/.650 with two home runs, four RBI and a .968 OPS, which is pretty solid for somebody who isn't an everyday player.

He has been receiving more starts lately, but he has been everything the Cardinals have hoped for after signing him. They need a trustworthy right-handed bat that can play against left-handed pitching, and Urias is the perfect fit for St. Louis in that case.

Ryne Stanek has not panned out

Mar 31, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryne Stanek (55) pitches against the New York Mets during the seventh inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Ryne Stanek is a St. Louis native and was signed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract. Unfortunately, this move hasn't panned out so far for the Cardinals.

In his first five appearances, Stanek has posted a 6.35 ERA. It is still early in the season, so he could turn things around quickly. But so far, the move hasn't worked out in their favor.

If the Cardinals fall out of postseason contention in 2026, Stanek could be a trade candidate as long as he is performing well, but his start to 2026 is a bit concerning.

The pitching staff as a whole hasn't performed great, posting a 4.95 ERA through the first 12 games of the season, and Stanek hasn't helped much. If that continues, then the Cardinals may be forced to cut bait with arms like Stanek and focus more on the younger arms that they have in their system.