The Cardinals' strange allure has returned at an inopportune time

Once upon a time, the St. Louis Cardinals were among the most desirable destinations in the league for free agents. Their reputation as a cutting-edge franchise that had a winning culture allowed them to punch above their market size and compete nearly every season. Eventually, though, as a result of the organization's complacency and a myriad of other factors, the Cardinals lost their luster.

But the behavior of many of the Cardinals' current players doesn't speak of a team that is trapped in a nosedive; instead, it appears that many on the team have no desire to play anywhere else despite the club's mediocre results in 2025.

The pull of the Cardinals is back — at least for those already on the team.

Several members of the Cardinals' bullpen could be on the move at the trade deadline, with Ryan Helsley and Phil Maton the most likely candidates to be dealt. But both pitchers have expressed desires to remain in St. Louis, with Helsley going as far as to say that he would likely be amenable to re-signing with the Cardinals after the season following a trade to a contender for the stretch run.

The Cardinals have been open about their attempts to find trade partners for veterans on the team with no-trade clauses, but those players also appear content to stay with the squad. Nolan Arenado looks unlikely to waive it to go to any team besides the ones on his list, and Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras have both stated their preference to remain in St. Louis. Of the three, only Contreras has been on a championship team, and with Arenado and Gray in their mid-30s, time may be running short for them to acquire that elusive ring.

Not only are these players' requests to remain with a sinking ship odd, but they will hinder the team in future seasons. Arenado is in a steep decline, and Gray has not been effective in recent starts. If Arenado and Gray are forbidding the Cardinals from trading them, the team will have to continue to pay their salaries in full and, in the case of Arenado, keep trotting a fading star out to the hot corner and taking up a roster spot.

Given the real possibility that the Cardinals are headed nowhere fast in 2025 and potentially 2026, it's unclear what is driving these players' wishes to stick it out with the team. The clubhouse may be a factor: In May, when the Cardinals were performing well, Arenado said the team had "different vibes," Contreras and Brendan Donovan appear to have taken the mantle as the leaders in the dugout following a season where the Cardinals loaded up on veterans to provide leadership that was sorely missing in 2023, and the messages relayed from two-time Cardinals such as Lance Lynn and Matt Carpenter, along with Brandon Crawford, may have helped mold those two into role models for younger players.

The coaches may also be having an impact. Players spoke highly of new hitting coach Brant Brown prior to the season, and Jordan Walker has complimented assistant coach Jon Jay for helping him in the outfield.

This seemingly revitalized chemistry that dissuades players from leaving may not convince players to sign with the Cardinals again, though. A poll in The Athletic had manager Oli Marmol listed as the manager whom players would least want to play for, and the Cardinals' horrific treatment of Contreras in 2023 isn't something that players will likely forget. The Cardinals' shrinking reach is visible in that many free agents the team signs nowadays are from the St. Louis vicinity and have wanted to play for the team in the past.

The Cardinals have seemingly found themselves trapped: The players who would help the team by departing want to stay, thereby crippling the team for the future, but the Cardinals' reputation outside the organization may still take a while to repair, hindering the arrival of new talent. It's a pickle that the "youngry" Cardinals can't afford to find themselves in for much longer.