3 moves that could quickly make Cardinals fans dislike Chaim Bloom

Chaim Bloom's first offseason as president of baseball operations of the St. Louis Cardinals has already been busy. He's expanded the coaching and instructor staffs already, and he's been open about wanting to make trades this offseason to reset the roster.

So far, the fan reception to Chaim Bloom's moves has been overly positive. There seems to be a clear direction for the organization, and while some of the moves that have been discussed would be difficult to watch, there is a sense of trust in Bloom to do the right thing.

However, there are some moves that Chaim Bloom could make in his first offseason that would certainly tick fans off and change their feelings about the new POBO. These three moves that Chaim Bloom could make would change St. Louis Cardinals fans' early impressions of him for the worse.

Re-signing Miles Mikolas would assuredly frustrate fans.

Fans of the Cardinals are beyond tired of seeing Miles Mikolas throw a pitch as a member of the team. While the first half of his time with the Cardinals was solid, the back half has been forgettable. From 2023-2025, Mikolas made 98 starts with the Cardinals, posting a 4.98 ERA across 529.1 innings. He had a 4.49 FIP and an 85 ERA+, meaning he was 15% worse than the average pitcher during that time period. He was worth only two bWAR while being paid $55.75 million.

It's time for St. Louis to wipe their hands clean of Miles Mikolas and move on.

Mikolas wouldn't fetch much in free agency considering his past three years of performance. Spotrac projects him to sign a one-year deal valued around $6 million, and even that feels high for him. The Cardinals could afford a one-year deal worth $5 million or so, but signing Miles Mikolas would be detrimental from a team performance perspective and from a fan perspective.

If Chaim Bloom re-signs Miles Mikolas, fans may riot in the streets outside Busch Stadium.

If Chaim Bloom doesn't get a solid package of prospects for Brendan Donovan, fans will be left disappointed.

As the offseason has progressed, the potential of a Brendan Donovan trade has grown. The utility All-Star has already received ample attention from rival teams, with one MLB insider saying that upwards of 20 teams have inquired about Donovan.

This attention isn't a guarantee of a haul, but it's a good sign. Should Chaim Bloom trade Brendan Donovan this offseason, there are a couple of routes the club's POBO could take. He could target a controllable starting pitcher like Ryan Bergert or Noah Cameron of the Kansas City Royals. Bloom could also identify top-100 prospects who are near-MLB ready like Carlos Lagrange of the New York Yankees.

What would be disappointing is if Chaim Bloom were to target prospects who are several years away from contributing in the majors. There's a potential that a nineteen-year-old player could develop into a star, but there's an equal if not greater chance that teenager fades into oblivion.

Trading Brendan Donovan may be a necessary evil this offseason if the focus for the organization is truly long term. He's a fan favorite, and he embodies what it means to be a St. Louis Cardinal. Therefore, Chaim Bloom needs to get a haul in return for the All-Star's services. Don't expect a prospect at the top of lists, but there's every reason to believe that Brendan Donovan can net a top-100 prospect who is nearly MLB ready or a current contributor at the major-league level.

Holding onto Nolan Arenado for the second straight offseason will send fans into a tizzy.

For the second offseason in a row, Nolan Arenado's name is swirling in trade rumors. The 34-year-old third baseman is in the twilight of his career, and his relatively onerous contract that still owes him $31 million over the next two years is a detriment to the Cardinals' offseason plans.

The club tried to trade the 10-time Gold Glover last year, but he vetoed a trade to the Houston Astros. His list of teams this year is reportedly lengthier than the five or so he had last year, but that won't make trading him any easier.

Arenado finished the 2025 season with a .237/.289/.377 slash lie for a .666 OPS. He hit only 12 home runs and drove in 52 batters for an 87 OPS+. His offense has fallen precipitously from the heights he experienced as recently as 2022. However, his defense has been reliable as ever. While he wasn't a Gold Glove finalist this year, he still posted plus defensive numbers from the hot corner. That, plus his veteran experience, could be valuable to several teams.

If Chaim Bloom isn't able to find a suitor for Nolan Arenado and he remains on the team next year, fans will be left disappointed. I like Arenado as much as the next guy; he's a future Hall of Famer. But it's time to move on and embrace the club's young players. Keeping Nolan Arenado on the roster in 2026 likely means that JJ Wetherholt's arrival is delayed. It could also limit spending that the team does on free agent pitchers, an area that needs help.