3 Cardinals who need to be off the roster by the end of August

We're now in the dog days of August, and the St. Louis Cardinals have been walking the .500 line for nearly a month now.

A postseason berth is not unimaginable, but it becomes more of a distant dream than anything. While greater comebacks in the standings have occurred in Major League Baseball history, the odds are not in the Cardinals' favor.

Therefore, it's time for the organization to fully shift its focus to the future. They've attempted a future-focused roster, but logjams and end-of-bench role players who serve no future purpose for the team can still be found.

The Cardinals have a bit of a 40-man roster logjam in addition to some clogs on the field. There's also an argument that players currently in the minors would be an upgrade over the role players currently receiving playing time.

These 3 St. Louis Cardinals need to be off the roster by the end of August.

OF Garrett Hampson

Ryan Vilade. Jose Barrero. Garrett Hampson. Three players, all identical roles.

Garrett Hampson was claimed by the Cardinals in June after Jose Barrero, his predecessor, was designated for assignment. Hampson was placed on waivers by the Cincinnati Reds.

Hampson, 30, was brought on to be a right-handed complement to Victor Scott II and a utility player of sorts. He's logged only 22 plate appearances for the Cardinals, and he has a .143/.182.190 slash line to go along with 10 strikeouts. He's been a non-factor offensively, and his defensive abilities aren't close to making up for his offensive shortcomings.

In Hampson's stead, the Cardinals could promote outfielder Nathan Church. Church is a capable center fielder who has taken his game to the next level this year. The left-handed outfielder is slashing .329/.387/.521 with 12 home runs and 15 stolen bases. He boasts one of the strongest arms in the club's farm.

RHP Ryan Fernandez

With three of the club's most reliable and used relievers departing at the trade deadline, the Cardinals' bullpen had to be revamped. Roddery Munoz, Andre Granillo, and Ryan Fernandez replaced Steven Matz, Phil Maton, and Ryan Helsley.

Fernandez struggled early on this year after showing promise in 2024. He posted an 11.42 ERA through 8.2 innings in March and April. He allowed 11 earned runs, struck out only seven batters, and walked five. He was sent down to Memphis at that point to work on some stuff, and he saw much greater results in Triple-A.

Fernandez posted a 3.12 ERA in 34.2 innings for Memphis. He struck out 49 batters and walked 20.

The relief reinforcements at Memphis have been gutted already, but there are still some viable replacements for Fernandez. Chris Roycroft could continue his ride on the Memphis shuttle. The addition of Jorge Alcala recently could be a viable replacement for Ryan Fernandez, too.

C Pedro Pages

Let me begin by saying that Pedro Pages isn't going anywhere. The coaching staff and pitching staff enjoy Pages behind the plate far too much. His game-calling and control of the pitching staff has been highly touted for two years now.

However, Pedro Pages's production at the plate has been lackluster all year. Among players with at least 250 plate appearances, Pedro Pages ranks 7th to last with a 60 wRC+. He's had a couple of timely and impactful hits, but he's striking out nearly 27% of the time while hitting just barely above the Mendoza line.

Pages's replacement would likely be a young catcher with the potential to be a regular in the future. Jimmy Crooks should be promoted if Pedro Pages is taken off the roster during the month of August.

Crooks, the Cardinals' No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, has a .265/.331/.431 slash line with 12 home runs and 70 RBIs. this year. His offense has fallen slightly from last year, but he's still a solid hitter with plus defensive metrics. He's one of the best backstops in the organization at preventing stolen bases, something the major-league team has loved on its roster.

If the Cardinals want to maintain Crooks's rookie status for 2026, they'll have to wait to promote him until after August 15th.