si
The St. Louis Cardinals saw their season end sooner than they had hoped, but the early offseason brings a set of crucial choices about the futures of several key players.
As the franchise committed to a full-scale rebuild, president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom spent the summer and trade deadline effectively stockpiling young, controllable talent in the farm system.
Entering the winter, St. Louis has just one player set to hit free agency: Ryne Stanek. The team is not expected to exercise his $6 million club option for 2027.
Even with minimal free-agent departures, the Cardinals still face numerous contract decisions. Nine players are eligible for arbitration, including standouts like Iván Herrera, Andre Pallante, Matthew Liberatore, and Masyn Winn. More pressing, however, is whether the club will offer extensions to sluggers Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson.
Jordan Walker's Breakout Raises Extension Question
For St. Louis, determining when to extend Walker is a tricky call. After two subpar seasons, the 24-year-old broke out in a major way, batting .269/.327/.466 with 29 home runs and 102 RBIs. He earned his first All-Star nod and demonstrated why he should be a cornerstone of the Cardinals' future.
Walker remains under team control through 2029, but that doesn't prevent St. Louis from trying to lock him up earlier. If he keeps producing at this level, his price will only climb. The Cardinals showed a willingness to commit big money this season by signing JJ Wetherholt to an eight-year, $112.5 million deal, and Walker would likely command an even larger extension to cover his prime years.
Alec Burleson's Consistent Production Complicates Matters
Burleson, like Walker, enjoyed a breakout campaign and is under team control through 2028. The 27-year-old has spent all five of his major-league seasons with the Cardinals and became the first player in franchise history to lead the league in RBIs. He slashed .279/.343/.473 with 26 home runs and 116 RBIs, establishing himself as one of the most reliable bats in the lineup.
Although Burleson has expressed interest in a long-term extension, extending both him and Walker would be challenging. If the team opts for a significant extension, it would likely go to only one of the two sluggers.
Matthew Liberatore's Future in the Rotation
Liberatore presents an intriguing case for the pitching staff. Despite a disappointing 5.23 ERA this season, the 26-year-old has been a steady presence in the rotation over the past two years, making 60 starts in that span. He is under team control through 2029.
While St. Louis probably won't extend Liberatore this offseason, the larger question is whether to keep him. He is a durable, controllable arm, but with several talented young pitchers rising through the farm system, moving on from the 26-year-old could be prudent.
Other Arbitration Decisions Loom
Beyond these three, the Cardinals must also decide how to handle their other arbitration-eligible players. Herrera earned his first All-Star selection this season and is in line for a raise; Pallante is one of the team's top starters; and Winn has solidified himself as a dependable middle infielder.
St. Louis is further along in its rebuild than anticipated, but fortunately, the team still has time to make decisions on key players over the next year.
Shaun McAvoy is a freelance writer with experience working with Newsweek, NESN, The Sporting News and SportsNet Pittsburgh. A Boston-area native, he grew up in Billerica, Massachusetts, and graduated from Merrimack College with a degree in Sports Management and Communications and Media. He is an avid Star Wars, Marvel and DC fan. Follow him at shaunmcavoy3.