Cardinals fans should rejoice after Cubs' latest move cripples Chicago's future

The St. Louis Cardinals' most detested rival just added another knot to Cardinals fans' stomachs. On the evening of Jan. 10, the Chicago Cubs signed third baseman Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million deal. Bregman, who will be 32 at the beginning of the 2026 season, was an All-Star in his lone season with the Boston Red Sox, hitting .273 with an .821 OPS. At first glance, the Cubs' latest move might sink Cardinals fans deeper into the troughs of despair, but there is reason for Cardinals fans to celebrate this move when seeking long-term failure for their bitter foes.

With the Cardinals beginning a rebuild, the Cubs are taking this opportunity to to find another winning window. In addition to Bregman, Chicago also acquired Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins to shore up their rotation and signed former Cardinals reliever Phil Maton to improve their bullpen. But while these moves likely indicate immediate improvement for the Cubs, they're taking a bite out of the team for the future.

The Cubs could be back in the basement when the Cardinals take flight.

Assuming Bregman follows a typical aging curve, his best years are behind him, and his new deal will place him under contract with the Cubs through his age-36 season. Shortstop Dansby Swanson will be 32 during the 2026 season as well, and he is signed with Chicago through 2029, forcing the Cubs into a potentially sticky situation given that there are precious few players waiting in the wings to supplant the then-late-career veterans who will likely be in steep decline. 

Chicago will hope that Pete Crow-Armstrong can build on his first half of 2025 and Moises Ballesteros, Matt Shaw, Ethan Conrad and Kevin Alcantara take the next step, but netting Cabrera forced the Cubs to give up their top prospect, outfielder Owen Caissie, and their trade for Kyle Tucker prior to 2025 had them surrender another highly ranked prospect in Cam Smith. The signing of Bregman likely spells the end for Tucker in a Cubs uniform, meaning they could even backslide offensively from last season. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have been hoarding prospects after trading away multiple assets, and if even a handful of them pan out, they will be in great shape for 2028 or 2029 while the Cubs may struggle just to keep their heads above water.

It's a competitive era in the sport, as the Cardinals are one of only a few rebuilding clubs. The Cubs have chosen to be competitive at a time where most other teams are also looking to win now, so Chicago's odds are logically lower than they would be in many other years in which the team would go for the gold. A potential lockout in 2027 that eliminates the season could further hurt the Cubs, as their core would keep aging while few promising developmental prospects will be present to hone their craft in the minor leagues. Contrast that with the Cardinals, where there are no illusions of a competitive major league opportunity but the lower levels are stacked with players who would still benefit from a full minor league season.

2026 will not be sunshine and lollipops for the Cardinals, and although the Cubs could find success with their new assets, don't expect the good times to last on the North Side as they attempt to pry open a window of competitive baseball in what could be a poor time to do so with a lockout potentially looming. With a rapidly improving pipeline, the redbirds could find themselves in much better shape than their blue nemeses in just a few years.