There's a path for the Cardinals to end up with a big-name starter this offseason

While St. Louis Cardinals fans shouldn't expect the club to make a splash move this offseason (at least when it comes to player acquisitions), this year's offseason outlook does put them in a unique position to surprise people if the opportunity presents itself.

The Cardinals are likely to move multiple veteran players and big contracts this offseason in the form of Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, and possibly Willson Contreras, along with shopping valuable young bats like Brendan Donovan. With the trio of veterans being the only guaranteed contracts on their books going into 2026, Chaim Bloom has ultimate flexibility when it comes to shaping the future of the roster.

Bloom has already told the media that he envisions the club adding some starting pitching help in either free agency or the trade market due to the injuries the Cardinals have to their pitching depth in the upper minor leagues and parting with multiple veteran starters this year, and in all likelihood, the names they will add are not going to be flashy by any means.

But don't rule out a bigger fish landing in St. Louis.

I had Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat on the Dealin' the Cards podcast on Thursday, and during our conversation, he talked about how he wouldn't be shocked if the Cardinals ended up with a pitcher like Dylan Cease or Framber Valdez is their markets don't materialize this offseason. That may come as a surprise to Cardinals fans, but it makes a lot of sense why Jones would theorize that as a potential, albeit not likely, outcome.

The Cardinals could end up with a big name starter this offseason if the free agent market stalls.

With the looming uncertainty surrounding CBA negotiations and the potential of a lockout and a potential lost season in 2027, many around the league believe that this year's free agent market could be a bit dicey for certain names looking to cash in on big, long-term deals.

Right-handed starters like Cease and Zac Gallen are coming off disappointing campaigns, which could lead to either or both of them receiving mixed interest from teams shopping for pitching. Even a starter like Valdez, who had a really good year in 2025, could have a weird market, especially if names like Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, Hunter Greene, Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, and Sonny Gray are shopped in trade talks.

What this could do for each of those arms, or other bigger-name arms, is force them to consider signing one- or two-year deals with a club willing to offer them a higher AAV, in hopes that they can hit the market again after having a better year on the mound or just when there is less uncertainty around the game. Even in years when there wasn't a looming lockout, we've seen big names like Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery have to take similar seasons, so it is really not crazy to think that could happen again here.

While Montgomery's deal ended up being a whiff for the Arizona Diamondbacks, it was a gamble worth taking. Snell, on the other hand, was awesome for the San Francisco Giants on his deal, and could have been an awesome trade asset if the Giants had played the deadline right that year.

Similarly, the Cardinals could be the team to jump at signing one of the best arms on the market to a short, lucrative deal with the salary flexibility they have this offseason. Assuming they move two or three of those veterans from their books, they'll have a lot of room financially, even if they are looking to take another step back in their salary commitments overall.

If things work out, the Cardinals could then flip that arm to a contender at the deadline for a good haul or, if they are in contention, ride that arm to October. Or maybe a deal this offseason ends up leading to a long-term commitment between the sides the following offseason.

While I wouldn't bank on this happening for the Cardinals this offseason, I certainly wouldn't count them out of that if the market plays into their hands. Keep an eye on how things are developing, as Bloom would be wise to jump in on a deal like this if the opportunity presents itself.