Cardinals could shock NL Central as division rivals prepare for talent exoduses

The St. Louis Cardinals are all but set to begin a much-needed rebuild under Chaim Bloom this offseason, but what if they held off for another year?

That might sound like organizational malpractice, especially after the team began its sell-off at the trade deadline in July, but the majority of the Cardinals' core remains in place heading into the offseason. For all of the rumors surrounding Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, and practically half of the roster, none of those key pieces have actually been moved yet.

Funny enough, the same situation is currently plaguing practically all of the Cardinals' NL Central rivals. From Hunter Greene (Reds) to Freddy Peralta (Brewers) to Mitch Keller (Pirates), most of the premier pitchers in the division are on the trade block. Likewise, the Chicago Cubs are exceedingly likely to lose Kyle Tucker in free agency.

With all of this elite talent seemingly just waiting to be purged from the division, could the Cardinals call an audible and try to compete in 2026?

Cardinals odds to compete in 2026 are slim, but they do exist thanks to division-wide fire sale

Of course, this same predicament is facing every other team in the NL Central. Why hold a fire sale when the rest of the division is apparently ready to do the same?

Could that lead to an awkward standoff where each team waits for someone else to make the first move? Might every NL Central team be prepared to wait for Kyle Tucker's final decision in free agency?

In truth, there's probably not a great reason for the Cardinals to believe they can compete even with in a downtrodden division next year; the Brewers have made a habit of trading their best pitchers only to get better in subsequent seasons. They and the Cubs are far better situated for immediate success.

That being said, the Cardinals are a veteran team that finally experienced some breakouts from youngsters in 2025 to help supplement the older core. It's easy to forget that this team finished second in the division with an 83-79 record just one year, and who's to say they can't at least compete for a Wild Card with a few buy-side moves over the winter?

Would trading Gray, Arenado and others help rebuild the farm system, reset the payroll, and provide a long-term plan for a franchise in need of one? Probably. But the Cardinals have been one of the most consistently great teams in the sport since the turn of the century, and the chance to add a 12th division title since 2000 to the mantle could prove alluring, especially for a new front office regime that has a manager in need of a vote of confidence.