The Position the Cardinals Must Address for This Offseason to Be a Success

The St. Louis Cardinals likely won't break the bank this offseason, but they should still pursue upgrades at one key position.

Sep 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom in the dugout before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Despite the St. Louis Cardinals finishing the regular season with a losing record for the second straight year, the team still had plenty of success stories.

The Cardinals had a surprisingly competitive season after leaning into a full-scale rebuild last offseason. Even after trading away multiple stars, St. Louis still stayed in the playoff hunt for most of the season. JJ Wetherholt put together an impressive rookie campaign, while Jordan Walker earned his first All-Star selection and Alec Burleson led the league with 116 runs batted in.

St. Louis' pitching staff also stepped up this season. Kyle Leahy turned in a stellar campaign during his first year as a starting pitcher, while Riley O'Brien racked up 38 saves and was named an All-Star. Though O'Brien tied for the most saves in the National League, he was inconsistent, a pattern that the Cardinals' bullpen was all too familiar with this year.

The Cardinals' bullpen ranked in the bottom third of the league with a 4.40 bullpen ERA and was the team's biggest weakness down the stretch. St. Louis' 30 blown saves this season tied for the third-most in baseball. Though the Cardinals likely won't be ready to truly contend for a title in the next couple of years, they need to address the bullpen this offseason for it to be a success.

Improving the bullpen needs to be St. Louis' biggest priority

Sep 14, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien (61) reacts after the Cardinals defeated the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There were rumors that O'Brien could be a trade chip and be moved at the deadline, similar to how the team traded JoJo Romero to the Milwaukee Brewers, but the Cardinals should hold onto him this offseason, especially considering how desperately their bullpen needs improvement.

After trading Romero, St. Louis lacked a reliable secondary high-leverage arm and was forced to rely too heavily on O'Brien. It would be surprising to see the Cardinals make a massive splash in free agency or trade for a star this offseason, but the team can still add players who can make an impact next season.

In an ideal offseason, the Cardinals would sign two or three high-leverage hurlers to bolster their bullpen. Even if the team isn't going full throttle for a postseason spot, adding a few pitchers could make a big difference and give some younger guys more opportunities to pitch in meaningful situations.

If the Cardinals had held leads more effectively this season, they could have been far closer to reaching the playoffs. Their bullpen performed poorly this season, and they desperately need to address it in the offseason.