3 Cardinals playing their final home games at Busch Stadium this weekend

The St. Louis Cardinals play their final home game of the 2026 season today, and while much of their team features a young core that will help them compete in 2027, there are multiple names we already know won't be a part of the roster beyond this season.

There are some other players on the active roster that I could very easily see being gone this offseason, but these three stand out as the safest bets to be playing elsewhere in 2027.

Nolan Gorman

Unfortunately for Nolan Gorman, he has just been unable to do enough to prove he's worth taking another chance on in a Cardinals uniform next season, and with his second year of arbitration on the horizon, I'd be very surprised if the Cardinals do not non-tender him this offseason.

On the season, Gorman has slashed .186/.271/.314 with nine home runs and 33 RBI in 82 games (292 plate appearances). His defense started off really well at third base, but even that came out to about league average as the season went on. Gorman just has far too much swing-and-miss in his game, and he doesn't bring his power often enough to make it worth bearing through that any longer.

He'll likely find another organization willing to take a chance on him, but it is time for the Cardinals to move on.

Pedro Pages

In a similar spot as Gorman, Pedro Pages has struggled far too much at the plate this season to warrant a regular role in 2027, and with so many other catchers breaking through or close to doing so, his defensive profile would be better served elsewhere in a trade.

So far this season, Pages has appeared in 81 games, slashing .209/.263/.308, which amounts to just a 59 wRC+, the worst of his big league career. Pages has seen his role diminish as the season has gone on, and now, with Leo Bernal clearly taking over as the Cardinals' primary catcher, Pages does not really have a role anymore.

If the Cardinals decide Herrera is not a catching option long-term and they take advantage of Jimmy Crooks' trade value this offseason, then sure, Pages could be back as a backup catcher, but with Rainiel Rodriguez on his way and Herrera likely having some kind of role behind the plate, I expect Pages to be moved in a trade.

Cesar Prieto

Acquired in the Jack Flaherty trade at the 2023 trade deadline, Cesar Prieto has found success at the plate in Triple-A but has never been able to translate that to the Major Leagues, and I do not see him being back with the Cardinals next season.

Sure, he could pass through waivers and be an organizational soldier next year, but in all likelihood, Prieto will likely be playing elsewhere. He's slashing just .059/.059/.071 in his 35 plate appearances this season, and coupled with really poor defense, the Cardinals don't need to see anything else from the 27-year-old at this point. Prieto deserves a chance to prove them wrong with a different major league club, but even with the uncertainty at third base next year, they should know Prieto is not a part of that mix, or even for a bench role.

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