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The St. Louis Cardinals missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season in 2026, but the fanbase's outlook is far from grim. Instead, there is a growing sense that the team is making significant strides and is on the right track.
Year one of the rebuild was deemed a success in terms of player development and how players fit into the roster. Now, the focus shifts to whether the Cardinals can accelerate their return to contention.
Alec Burleson, speaking on the "Cardinal Territory" podcast with Jim Hayes, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson, expressed confidence that the team may be closer to October baseball than outsiders believe.
"The moves that had to be made and were made before the season, I think it allowed us to find out what we have and what we don't have and what we need to take that next step and get into the playoffs," Burleson said. "I think if you give a lot of these young guys another year of experience and I think you're going to see a lot of improvement from a lot of these guys. We were in the playoff hunt for the majority of the season. We're not far off and I think we've got a good core that we can add pieces around that will allow us to take that next step."
Key Analysis
While the Cardinals may still be a year or two away from true playoff contention, there is plenty to admire about their current roster. Chaim Bloom's plan appears to be working, and a few offseason tweaks could position them for a stronger 2027 campaign. The franchise, accustomed to winning, has embraced the unfamiliar rebuilding process as a necessary step, and the benefits of Bloom's strategy should soon become evident.
Burleson led Major League Baseball in RBI this season, providing the Cardinals with a cornerstone piece for the foreseeable future. With hope renewed after 2026, if the front office supplements the young core with the right additions, the future could brighten considerably. It will be fascinating to see where the Cardinals go from here.