The St. Louis Cardinals suffered another frustrating loss, but the bigger story may be what the defeat revealed about the roster heading into 2027.
While the Cardinals have plenty of questions to answer, not every weakness on the current roster should be viewed as a long-term problem. The bullpen, for example, has been inconsistent throughout 2026, but there are reasons to believe it can look considerably better next season.
Third base and center field are different situations. Those positions have produced significant concerns, and the Cardinals need to think carefully about their long-term plans.
The Bullpen Could Look Very Different in 2027
It is understandable that Cardinals fans are frustrated with the bullpen after some of the team’s recent performances. However, relief pitching is one of the most unpredictable areas of baseball.
A struggling bullpen in one season does not necessarily mean a team has a long-term organizational problem. Relief pitchers can emerge unexpectedly, while starters can transition into relief roles and become more effective because their velocity and pitch quality improve in shorter appearances.
That could work in St. Louis’ favor.
Gordon Graceffo is one pitcher worth watching closely. His second-half performance has been dramatically different from what he showed earlier in the season. His strikeout numbers have improved significantly, and if this version of Graceffo carries into 2027, the Cardinals could have another legitimate weapon available in relief.
Luis Gastelum is another intriguing option. His season got off to a difficult beginning, and he has occasionally left pitches in locations where hitters can do serious damage. However, his strikeout rate has been above 30%, while his walk rate has remained reasonable. His 3.03 xFIP also suggests there could be considerably more value there than his surface numbers indicate.
Cade Winquest struggled in his latest appearance, but it is far too early to make a definitive judgment. He has only appeared in six major-league games. His minor-league numbers provide plenty of reasons for optimism, including a 34.8% strikeout rate, an average walk rate and a ground-ball rate above 50%.
If even some of those skills translate consistently to the majors, Winquest could develop into a useful reliever.
Then there are the starting pitchers. Matthew Liberatore, Cooper Hjerpe, Tekoah Roby and Ixan Henderson are among the names who could eventually find themselves helping the bullpen. Whether because of innings management or an intentional move to relief, starting-caliber pitchers often become even more dangerous when their stuff is used in shorter outings.
In other words, the Cardinals do not need to completely rebuild their bullpen. A couple of smart additions and internal developments could turn it into a strength.
George Soriano’s Struggles Need a Closer Look
One narrative surrounding George Soriano is that his recent struggles are primarily the result of an unusually heavy workload.
It is an understandable explanation. Soriano has appeared in a career-high number of games, and he has struggled considerably during the second half. His most recent outing was especially damaging, as he contributed to the Cardinals’ collapse after they had built a six-run lead against the Giants.
Still, workload alone does not completely explain what has happened.
Soriano was moved into a relief role during the 2022 season. That year, he appeared in 40 games between Double-A and Triple-A while throwing 76 innings. In 2023, he pitched 78.1 innings across 40 appearances.
In 2024, he became more established as a multi-inning reliever. He threw 25.1 innings in Triple-A and another 52 innings in the majors, finishing with 77.1 innings over 44 appearances.
Last season, Soriano again handled a substantial workload. He threw 42.2 innings in 29 Triple-A games and 36.2 innings in 24 major-league appearances. Combined, he pitched in 53 games and accumulated 78.4 innings.
That history matters.
Rather than being a pitcher suddenly being asked to handle an unprecedented workload, Soriano has already demonstrated that he can handle significant innings. That does not mean fatigue is impossible, but it does make it difficult to use fatigue as the sole explanation for his performance.
His advanced statistics also provide another perspective.
Soriano’s first half was not quite as dominant as his ERA may have suggested. He struck out 21% of opposing hitters while walking 9.6%, numbers that produced a 4.44 xFIP. His FIP was better at 3.90, helped by the fact that he did not give up many home runs.
Things changed considerably after the All-Star break.
Before his latest outing, Soriano had a 4.03 xFIP in the second half, with a 26.7% strikeout rate. However, his BABIP climbed to .346, while his FIP rose to 6.52.
His overall season BABIP remains relatively low at .275, while his home-run rate is also close to his career norms. His career xFIP is 4.51, while his ERA this season has reached 4.50.
That suggests Soriano may simply be closer to the pitcher his underlying numbers have described rather than an elite reliever who has suddenly been destroyed by fatigue.
There is also a major matchup issue.
Soriano has struggled badly against right-handed hitters in 2026. Righties have produced a .386 wOBA against him, while left-handed hitters have posted only a .263 wOBA. Right-handed batters have also struck out less frequently against him.
That reverse-splits problem may be a more important explanation for his struggles than workload.
Third Base Has Stopgap Options, Center Field Does Not
The Cardinals’ two most problematic positions this season have arguably been third base and center field.
At third base, however, there are reasons to be optimistic.
Thomas Saggese and Blaze Jordan have both shown enough to deserve additional opportunities. Neither should automatically be considered the long-term answer, but both could serve as useful short-term solutions while the organization searches for a permanent option.
Saggese offers defensive flexibility and should be capable of handling third base. Projections suggest he could produce somewhere around a 90-to-100 wRC+ next season, while his minor-league track record leaves open the possibility of more offensive production.
Jordan is another intriguing option. He will be 24 next season and produced a 137 wRC+ in Triple-A during 2026. He also posted a .317 expected wOBA and showed surprisingly solid defensive ability.
There are still questions about whether that defensive performance is sustainable, but he has done enough to earn more playing time.
The Cardinals also have prospects such as Jesus Baez and Deniel Ortiz who could eventually enter the discussion.
Center field is much more complicated.
Nathan Church has struggled to establish himself as a reliable everyday center fielder. His offensive profile has been particularly concerning. Although he does a good job avoiding strikeouts and whiffs, many of his other Statcast metrics have been poor.
His chase rate ranks in the third percentile, his average exit velocity in the eighth percentile, his bat speed in the 20th percentile and his hard-hit rate in the 12th percentile.
Those numbers make it difficult to envision him suddenly becoming a productive hitter without significant changes.
Church should still remain part of the Cardinals’ plans, but giving him the starting job without competition would be a mistake. He needs to demonstrate that he can become more selective at the plate.
The Cardinals also do not appear to have an obvious internal replacement.
Victor Scott does not look like the solution, while Joshua Baez may not be suited for center field. Chase Davis could eventually become an option, but expecting him to immediately solve the position in 2027 would be unrealistic.
Josiah Ragsdale could also be part of the longer-term picture, although the organization may prefer to take its time with his development.
Ultimately, the Cardinals need to find a legitimate center-field option during the offseason.
They do not necessarily need to spend aggressively or make a blockbuster move. But if St. Louis genuinely intends to compete in 2027, simply handing center field back to Church without meaningful competition would feel more like a rebuilding decision.
Third base has potential stopgap solutions. Center field remains the position where the Cardinals need to find a much clearer answer.
