5 questions Chaim Bloom must answer in his first offseason running the Cardinals

When the 2025 season comes to a close, the real work for the St. Louis Cardinals begins.

The organization is entering a multi-year rebuild according to Katie Woo of The Athletic, something the fans of the Cardinals haven't had to go through in decades. "As the regular season comes to a close, several team sources within the organization have expressed various levels of concern regarding how long it will take for the Cardinals to return to contention."

John Mozeliak is set to leave his role as the club's president of baseball operations at the end of the season. Chaim Bloom will replace him, and his real work will begin this offseason.

Bloom has spent the last two years vetting and working behind the scenes trying to fix the farm system and player development. He and assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio have been incrementally altering the pipeline and minor league teams to prepare for this rebuild, and they'll continue their work next year.

"Bloom and assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio implemented measures to improve the franchise’s infrastructure," writes Woo. "They will continue to oversee and expand on those changes once Bloom takes over at the end of the season."

The work that Chaim Bloom does this winter on many levels will help jumpstart the Cardinals' return to relevancy in the National League Central and beyond. He has many questions that he'll look to answer in his first offseason as a result of this change in power.

Question #1: Which players will get traded this offseason?

You'll notice I have a plural subject there.

There are several logjams on the roster right now (first base, corner outfield, catcher) that will have to be solved this winter. The fact that the Cardinals used the 2025 season to evaluate which players would be a part of their long-term plans also contributes to the need for trades this winter. If the organization, specifically Chaim Bloom, didn't get answers from this runway season, it was for nothing. Hopefully, Bloom has an idea of whom he wants to keep for the near future and whom he wants to trade.

There are several places from which the Cardinals could trade. Let's start with those players who have no-trade clauses.

Nolan Arenado is more than likely gone this offseason. His words alone point towards a departure. The veteran third baseman is still owed $31 million over the next two years, a sizable contract for a mid-30s third baseman who is a below-average hitter. Willson Contreras has proven that he can be a capable first baseman with an OPS around .800. He could be moved this winter. Finally, we have Sonny Gray. Gray is a free agent after the 2026 season, but he's owed $35 million next year, and he's been fading these last two years.

The Cardinals could also trade from their corner outfield depth. Lars Nootbaar, Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson, Brendan Donovan, and possibly even Jordan Walker could be on the move. I wouldn't be surprised to see two of these players traded this winter to provide pitching depth and room on the roster.

Finally, the Cardinals should trade from their catching depth. With Ivan Herrera set to return to catching duties next year, the Cardinals will now have four catchers on their roster: Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages, Jimmy Crooks, and Yohel Pozo. That won't stay the same next year. They also have substantial prospect depth at catcher in Leonardo Bernal and Rainiel Rodriguez. One or more of these players could be moved this offseason to fill holes in other areas on the roster.

Question #2: Who will be Chaim Bloom's manager?

Most heads of baseball operations will install their own manager once they begin their tenure. Chaim Bloom could do the same next year.

Manager Oliver Marmol's contract isn't up until after the 2026 season. Many fans believed (wanted?) Marmol to be out after the last two years, but outgoing POBO John Mozeliak opted to keep Marmol at the helm during this transition year.

Oli was touted as a player's coach and one who was in touch with young players when he took the positions before the 2022 season. The logic of keeping him in that role during a year where youth would be the focus was relatively sound. Oli clearly grew as a manager this year, and he was able to bring a ragtag roster without stars within sniffing distance of a playoff spot. Alas, the Cardinals will go a third straight season without a postseason appearance.

Chaim Bloom could come in and replace Oli right off the bat if the club's new POBO thinks that's the best move. He could also opt to let Oli finish out his contract rather than rock the boat too much right away.

If Bloom opts to remove Marmol from his managing duties, the list of replacements won't be short. Skip Schumaker, Albert Pujols, and Yadier Molina are all former Cardinals who have managed in the majors before or have a spoken interest in managing soon. Of the three, only Schumaker has major-league experience, but Pujols and Molina are decorated international managers in their own rights.

If Bloom wants to stray away from the history of the organization, Alex Cora, manager of the Boston Red Sox, could be an option. Don Mattingly may be interested in returning to managing duties after being a bench coach in Toronto. Several other options are out there for people who could manage next in St. Louis if Marmol is fired.

Finding a manager who aligns with your philosophy and expectations isn't an easy choice for a head of baseball operations. Chaim Bloom's first official season as president of baseball operations is a key one, and whomever he hires (or keeps) as his manager will be a clear indication of what he wants to accomplish in 2026 and beyond.

Question 3: Where will JJ Wetherholt start the 2026 season?

While the major-league team hasn't been able to accomplish much this year, the minors have been rife with success.

Pitchers like Ixan Henderson, Brycen Mautz, Tekoah Roby (before his injury), and Braden Davis, among others, have all had excellent seasons. The Cardinals also bolstered their pitching depth by drafting Liam Doyle as their first-round selection.

The position players also had a strong showing. Rainiel Rodriguez established himself as a consensus top-100 prospect, Jimmy Crooks made his MLB debut, and top prospect JJ Wetherholt continued to prove his worth as a top prospect in all of baseball.

Wetherholt, 23, started the year with the Double-A Springfield Cardinals. He slashed .300/.425/.500 with seven home runs in 62 games. He earned a promotion to Triple-A Memphis and only improved his stats. He would go on to slash .314/.416/.562 with 10 home runs and 225 RBIs in only 47 games for the Redbirds.

Wetherholt was recently named the Texas League Player of the year, the Cardinals' fourth consecutive recipient of this recognition. He's a top prospect in all of baseball, he's a polished hitter with positional versatility, and he's clearly ready for the majors. But will he make his debut early next year?

Chaim Bloom has historically been methodical and patient when it comes to promoting top prospects. Clearly, JJ Wetherholt is ready for the challenge of the majors despite the gap between Triple-A and MLB being so wide right now. He may struggle at the beginning, but he could very easily settle in once he familiarizes himself with the league.

The front office has been reluctant to promote Wetherholt this year even when key infielders like Brendan Donovan got injured down the stretch. Wetherholt doesn't need to be added to the 40-man roster this winter; other players who are Rule 5 eligible would be added first to protect them. Instead, Chaim could wait until there's space and a greater need to bring him up in 2026.

If JJ Wetherholt has a strong spring, something he's capable of doing, the clamors for the club's top prospect to start the year in the majors will be loud. Will Chaim Bloom listen, or will he take a more calculated approach?

Question #4: What will free agency look like for the Cardinals?

This is probably a question best posed to ownership rather than Chaim Bloom, but it still applies.

Last year, the Cardinals signed just one major-league free agent: reliever Phil Maton. Maton agreed to a one-year deal worth $2 million, and he repaid the Cardinals handsomely. He posted a 2.35 ERA, and he settled in quite nicely to the setup role for the Cardinals. He was traded at the deadline for prospect depth in RHP Skylar Hales and LHP Mason Molina and some international bonus pool money.

The Cardinals didn't sign Maton until March. Could this winter be a repeat of last year's?

The DeWitt family was adamant last year that payroll would be cut, and they will echo the same sentiment this year. No longer will the ownership group approve spending on pricey free agents to fill holes in the team that could otherwise be filled internally (and more cheaply).

However, Chaim Bloom could still be granted some financial flexibility, particularly if he can move the onerous contracts of Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, and Sonny Gray this winter. Fans shouldn't expect a blockbuster free agent like Kyle Tucker, Kyle Schwarber, or Framber Valdez. Instead, any signings will mirror the signing of Phil Maton last year.

The Cardinals should look to sign veteran players to cheap contracts who could then be flipped at the deadline once again for prospect depth if the club is out of contention. These veterans would be complementary players who could fill holes for the club without taking away playing time from young players next year.

A reliever or two, a first baseman (especially if Contreras is traded), and a fourth outfielder, preferably a right-handed center fielder (hello, Harrison Bader?), would fit the bill. Signing these players to reasonable contracts with the expectation that they won't see 400+ at-bats would be ideal for the organization. They won't break the bank, they'll provide valuable experience for a young team, and they'll help supplement the roster.

Chaim Bloom likely won't have much wiggle room in free agency this winter. What he does with the finances he's given will be vital for the success of the team next year.

Question #5: What can Chaim Bloom do to bring back fans?

This is the million-dollar question, literally. Ticket sales and in-game attendance have plummeted the last three years for the Cardinals. After being a perennial 3 million-fan organization for nearly two decades, the Cardinals slipped below that threshold in 2024 and fell way short in 2025.

The Cardinals sold 2,250,007 tickets this year, 19th most in baseball. They averaged only 27,777 tickets sold per game. Those figures are stark for a franchise that drew 35,000+ fans on a day game during the week just three years ago. The fans actually in attendance was far lower than those figures as well, leading to several days where the total number of fans in Busch Stadium hovered around 15,000 people.

Fan apathy and frustration are at all-time high levels, and the road back to a full Busch Stadium feels long and arduous. The empty seats, lowering ticket sales, and outward frustration by fans have been seen by several other organizations who also once saw the St. Louis Cardinals as a premier organization in baseball.

Bringing back fans isn't entirely on Chaim Bloom; senior vice president of baseball operations Anuk Karunaratne has been working behind the scenes on ways to enhance the fan experience. From $5 Friday nights to post-game concerts, Karunaratne has been busy finding ways to attract fans, particularly ones in the 20-34 age range.

The departure of John Mozeliak alone may be enough to bring back a few wayward fans, but I don't believe it'll boost numbers dramatically. Ousting Oli Marmol may have a similar microscopic impact, but I'm skeptical that thousands of fans are staying away because of who runs and who manages the ballclub.

Instead, Bloom will have to get creative to win fans back. The best way to do that would be to field a winning team with realistic playoff aspirations each year.

A willingness to be transparent by Bloom will also attract several fans who grew weary of John Mozeliak's political and veiled responses to questions.

Chaim Bloom won't bring back 750,000 fans in his first season as president of baseball operations. He's likely looking at a multi-year path back to attendance supremacy in St. Louis. So long as he's working meticulously and trying to improve the team top to bottom, fans will return little by little. Just like the old adage says, winning fixes everything.