Ferocious NL Central should give the Cardinals no qualms about sticking to a rebuild

The drumbeat among St. Louis Cardinals fans for their team to go for gold in 2026 is gaining steam as the Cardinals appear ahead of schedule in their rebuild back to contention. But even though the warning signs are there that the Cardinals are unlikely to continue at this pace, namely their shaky bullpen and their pitchers' complete lack of swing-and-miss stuff, the largest reason why the team should hold tight or sell at the trade deadline is largely out of the Cardinals' control.

The National League Central division was long a baseball laughingstock, rivaling the American League Central in putridness. Free agents from the central divisions consistently choose to live in coastal luxury rather than remain in America's heartland, making player development more integral to these divisions than anywhere else. At long last, those promising young sprouts are blossoming into major league talent, allowing every team in the division — yes, even the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates — to hold a winning percentage over .500 in early May.

It's refreshing for the sport to see the NL Central flourishing for once (although the Tampa Bay Rays may have a bone to pick with that thought), but for fans who are buying into the overachieving Cardinals, it may seem like a bummer that the rest of the division is succeeding as well. However, with the Cardinals' ultimate goal in mind, this is likely the best possible scenario for the team and its president of baseball operations, Chaim Bloom.

Bloom has been steadfast in his resolve that 2026 is a stepping stone, not the pinnacle, and he reiterated that thought on the Dealin' the Cards podcast, saying that the more the Cardinals stick with their original approach of building for the future, the more successful the club will be in the long run. With so many teams in the Cardinals' division jockeying for a postseason berth, this is not the time for the Cardinals to buy assets at the trade deadline in an attempt to compete with the divisional foes that have plans to win this year and are likely to improve further at the deadline.

The Cardinals will have plenty of opportunties to improve in 2028.

With no guaranteed contracts on the books for 2028, the year Chaim Bloom pointed to the Cardinals potentially emerging as serious contenders again, the team will have plenty of money to play with. In an optimal scenario, the young Cardinals core will be in its prime and the front office will complement that bunch with some high-profile trades and signings, assuming the Cardinals can convince free agents that they are on the upswing once again.

Of course, a possible lockout looms for 2027, and a worst-case scenario could see the elimination of the entire season, which might pump the brakes on the progress that the Cardinals are making. But fans should recognize that all teams will be in this boat and that those who have aging players are more likely to be affected, as older players are more likely to break down at any time as opposed to those who are young and spry.

Ideally, fans will give Bloom grace with the understanding that 2026 is not the year to go all-in given the team's limitations and the division's difficulty. John Mozeliak constantly preached patience when he was at the helm of the team, so it's fair for Cardinals supporters to be wary of that term. But now that the organization has an actual direction in mind, the Cardinals really do need to bide their time for now and wait for the right moment to reclaim their nest atop the division.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow