2026 St. Louis Cardinals season
Major League Baseball season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 St. Louis Cardinals season was the 145th season for the St. Louis Cardinals, a Major League Baseball franchise in St. Louis, Missouri. It was also the 135th season for the Cardinals in the National League and their 21st at Busch Stadium.
| 2026 St. Louis Cardinals | |
|---|---|
| |
| League | National League |
| Division | Central |
| Ballpark | Busch Stadium |
| City | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Record | 77–85 (.475) |
| Divisional place | 4th |
| Owner | William DeWitt Jr. |
| President | Bill DeWitt III |
| President of baseball operations | Chaim Bloom |
| Manager | Oliver Marmol |
| Television | MLB Local Media (Chip Caray, Tom Ackerman, Brad Thompson, Al Hrabosky, Rick Ankiel, Jim Hayes, Scott Warmann, Tom Pagnozzi, Mark Sweeney) |
| Radio | KMOX NewsRadio 1120 St. Louis Cardinals Radio Network (John Rooney, Rick Horton, Mike Claiborne) |
| Stats | ESPN.com Baseball Reference |
The season marked the first full season for Chaim Bloom in his role of President of Baseball Operations for the team, and encompassed the Major League debut of thirteen rookies, including Leo Bernal, Joshua Báez, and JJ Wetherholt. Out of the rookies who debuted during the season, Wetherholt was signed a long term extension with the team during the course of the season. The 2026 campaign also marked a breakout year for outfielder Jordan Walker, as he improved in nearly all batting categories compared to the prior season, & won the 2026 Home Run Derby. Initially defying preseason predictions of a mediocre-to-bad win-loss record, the team finished one game above .500 in March, then parlayed that into moving nine game above a .500 record on May 19th, before pulling back in winning percentage by the All Star break. Shortly before reaching the nine-games-above .500 mark, the team experienced an exciting event by becoming the focus of the Tarps Off movement courtesy of support from the Stephen F. Austin State University club baseball team beginning with an extra inning win on May 15th.
After signing Dustin May to a one year contract as a free agent prior to the start of the season, May's rebound year prompted Bloom to enact a trade deadline deal to acquire prospects. The team experienced baseball history in August, as rookie Joshua Báez became the first player in Major League history to hit a home run in his first three Major League at-bats.[1] September 12th was a historic day in particular for the franchise, as Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols were inducted into the team's Hall of Fame during an emotional pregame ceremony. After incurring a major blow to its chances of winning the third Wild Card spot via a five game losing streak towards the end of August, the team was in contention to finish with a .500 until mid-September, but then finished 2-8 in its last ten games though to end the season with 77 wins. At season's end Alec Burleson had a career year in 2026 in addition to Walker, with Burleson leading the entire Major Leagues with 116 RBI at the end of the regular season.
Offseason departures and acquisitions
After new President of Baseball Operations, Chaim Bloom, stepped into his role following the end of the 2025 season, he quickly embarked on making major changes to the roster and implementing the organization's revised strategy.[2] One of Bloom's first notable moves in the offseason was to trade Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox, Bloom's most recent employer before onboarding with the Cardinals as a consultant.[3] Gray agreed to waive his no trade clause to go to the Red Sox, and for the return part of the trade the Red Sox sent over right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts and left-handed pitcher Brandon Clarke (who was the Red Sox's number five prospect per MLB Pipeline at the time of the trade) to St. Louis.[3] Just over a month later Wilson Contreras also agreed to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Red Sox as well.[4] In return for sending Contreras and cash to the Red Sox (that went towards covering part of Contreras's salary), the Cardinals received right hand pitchers Hunter Dobbins, Yhoiker Fajardo (who was Boston’s No. 23 prospect in MLB Pipeline rankings at the time of the trade) and Blake Aita.[4] On January 14, 2026, veteran Nolan Arenado was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, along with $31 million in cash to offset the $42 million that Arenado is owed over the next two seasons, for minor league right-hander Jack Martinez, an eighth-round draft pick out of Arizona State.[5] Another noteworthy pre-season move by Bloom was to extend the contract of manager Oli Marmol for another two years.[6]
Free Agency Transactions
“We are not prioritizing short-term success over what needs to happen in the long term...Even with that, my mindset is that you’re never going to stop trying to win and there is some way by where you’ll always assess where you are in the standings. That’s not going to change, it’s just also the case that we can’t let that distract us from where we need to go, and with respect to that bigger goal regardless of the standings.”
In tandem with large organizational change across the board, the Cardinals did not attempt to re-sign veteran starting pitcher Miles Mikolas, who had been on the team since 2017, who then signed a one year deal with Washington Nationals on February 11, 2026.[7] In terms of free agency additions, the most notable pickup for the Cardinals was starting pitcher Dustin May, who signed a one year deal for $20.5 million in December 2025.[8] Additionally, the team added bullpen depth via free agency by signing Ryne Stanek to a one year deal for $3.5 million on January 13, with a $6 million club option for 2027.[9]
Preseaon Projections & Predictions
Preseason predictions regarding how many wins the 2026 Cardinals would accrue were generally unfavorable, with some hope for something closer to a .500 winning percentage given the team's unproven young talent. For instance, on February 10, 2026, well before the roster was finalized, Baseball Prospectus's PECOTA system predicted 66 wins and 96 losses for the team.[10] Closer to the start of the regular season, Fangraph's "ZiPS" projection system predicted on March 26th that the Cardinals would finish last in the N.L. Central with a record of 76-86.[11] Worse yet, the aggregate consensus among sports gamblers was that the team would win fewer games than that, with DraftKings website predicting 71.5 wins for the team, while both FanDuel & BetMGM placed the team's win total at 69.5 wins as of March 28th.[12]
Spring Training
Over the course of the 2026 Grapefruit League spring training schedule, the Cardinals accrued a win-loss record of 17-9, good for second place in the Grapefruit League that year.[13] The Spring Training season was not without uncertainty for Cardinals fans however, as by mid-March Jordan Walker's slow start to the spring was causing concern about his future.[14] However, a very strong at-bat in the March 23rd game against the Houston Astros seemingly marked a breakthrough for Walker, where a savvy ABS challenge he made during his third inning at-bat helped him avoid a strikeout, & after that he hit the next pitch over the centerfield fence for a home run.[15] Non-roster invitee Nelson Velázquez turned heads with a strong offensive performance during Spring Training, but missed out on a promotion to the big league club over fellow outfielder Nathan Church.[16][17]
Cardinals in the World Baseball Classic
As in past years, the 2026 World Baseball Classic was held concurrently with Spring Training. In terms of Cardinals players who already had Major League experience, Thomas Saggese was the notable name who participated in the Classic, as he played for Team Italy along with Gordon Graceffo.[18] Yadier Molina, an active coach with the team, was the manager for Team Puerto Rico during the tournament as well. Participation by Cardinals players was vastly decreased compared to the 2023 World Baseball Classic, possibly over concerns on how poorly the Cardinals started the 2023 when many players missed significant time away from the team & Spring Training due to tournament participation.
Regular Season
March - Opening Day Fun & a Surprise Start
The Cardinals opened the regular season at home against the Tampa Bay Rays on March 26, 2026.[19] In a dramatic game filled with many twists and turns, rookie JJ Wetherholt hit a home run in the third inning for his first big league hit to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. After the Rays got to Cardinal pitching by putting up a six-spot in the sixth inning, the Cardinals entered the bottom half of that frame down 7-1. A dramatic comeback ensued, where Wetherholt hit a long fly with the bases loaded for an out, only to be followed up by a exciting home run by Alec Burleson which put the Cardinals back out in front.[20] The Cardinals bullpen took things from there, closing out the game without the Rays scoring again.[19]
After an off day the following day, the Cardinals proceeded to go 2-0 on the season with an win on March 28th. However, when Dustin May struggled in his first outing of the year on March 29th, the Rays took advantage & came away with an 11-7 win against the Cardinals. Riley O'Brien earned his first save of the year on March 31st at home against the New York Mets, and would quickly emerge as the team's closing pitcher.[21] After splitting the March 30th & 31st games against the New York Mets at home, the team found itself one game above the .500 mark at the end of the month.
April - Walker's Success & Defying Expectations
The Cardinals parlayed being one game over the .500 mark at end of March into a strong April, where they defied many preseason predictions of having a subpar team, & instead ended the month of April only two games back from the lead in their division. Jordan Walker earned national attention by going on a home run hot streak, culminating in hitting his eight home run of the year on in April 13th 9-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians, but which put him in the MLB lead for home runs at that point in the season.[22]
May - Tarps Off
On May 15th, 2026, the team's season was met with an unexpected event. The Stephen F. Austin State University club baseball team initiated a movement dubbed "Tarps Off", where by they took their t-shirts off during the game & waved them as a way to cheer the Cardinals on.[23] The tactic worked, as the Cardinals rallied to an extra-inning win against the Kansas City Royals that night. At the post game press conference, before any reporter could ask a question of him, team manager Oli Marmol said, "“Whoever started that in right field, I'll do whatever I need to do to make sure they come every game,” Marmol said Friday. “Because that was awesome. Not only them, but everybody that showed up today. That was a fun environment.”[24]
Subsequently, the next day on social media, team manager Oli Marmol offered to buy tickets to any fans wanting to sit in right field Lodge area & who would "bring the energy."[24] After the Cardinals were again victorius that evening, the club baseball team members were invited by manager Oli Marmol into the team's clubhouse after the end of the game the next night as a gesture of appreciation of their enthusiasm & spirit.[24] The team then declared a section of the right field stands the "Tarps Off" fan section for the remainder of the season, whereby anyone with a ticket to the game is welcome to stand in that fan supporter section.[25]
“I think it brings a lot of energy we’ve been lacking the past few years...It gets everyone going, gets the crowd into it. It takes the energy way up.”
June - Peak (again) & Pullback
The first half of the month of June went reasonably well for the Cardinals. On June 16th, they hit nine games above .500 once again, but also yet again, failed to move to ten games above .500, something that the team hadn't done since the 2022 season. After that, the team slid back in the standings, marked by a four game losing streak towards the end of June.
July - All Stars & Noteworthy Home Run Derby
Three Cardinals were named to represent the National League in the 2026 MLB All Star Game: Jordan Walker, Riley O'Brien, and Ivan Herrera.[27] Additionally, Walker was selected to participant in the 2026 Home Run Derby held the night prior to the All Star Game. Going into the competition still relatively an unknown on the national stage, Walker was able to overcome the hometown Phillies fans pushing for hometown players Kyle Schwaber & Bryce Harper to unexpectedly win the Derby.[28] This marked the first time an active Cardinals player won the Home Run Derby.[28]
Aside from Walker's triumph at the Home Run Derby, the month of July marked another pullback in the team's overall performance, starting the month 8.5 games behind in the Central Division, and finishing the month 14.5 games behind in the division.[29]
August - Trade Deadline, & Home Run History for Baez
I’m telling you, we are talking about a minute – maybe – when those last two trades actually went in and got confirmed.
The MLB trade deadline saw two notable trades by Chaim Bloom & the Cardinals. First, the Cardinals engaged in an uncommon inter-division trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, sending starting pitcher Dustin May and relief pitcher JoJo Romero to the Brewers in exchange for Alexander Frias and Josiah Ragsdale, who are both prospects who play outfield positions.[30] Next, the Cardinals traded Lars Nootbaar to the Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Daniel Eagen, LHP Sandro Santana, and a player to be named later.[30] It wasn't until October 1, after both the Cardinals & Diamondbacks seasons had ended, that the Diamondbacks named right handed pitching prospect Brian Curley as that player to be named later.[31] General Manager Bloom for the Cardinals was quoted regarding the last-minute of the deals before the end of the trade deadline by saying, "“I’m telling you, we are talking about a minute – maybe – when those last two trades actually went in and got confirmed."[30]
August 15, 2026 marked the Major League debut for Joshua Báez, as he was placed into the lineup as the Cardinals' starting left fielder against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. He hit a home run on the first pitch of his first MLB plate appearance off Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd.[32] In his next plate appearance, he hit another home run off Boyd, then made history by hitting a third home run in his third plate appearance, which again came against pitcher Boyd.[33] He made MLB history by being the first person to hit three home runs in his first three at bats,[34] or in his major league debut.[35] Báez finished his first career MLB game 3-for-4 with three home runs and five RBI in an 8-4 Cardinals victory.[36] Baez cooled down at the plate considerably after his debut though, notching only two hits in his next 32 at bats through August 24th.[37] The Cardinals as a team cooled off too, as their hopes for winning the final wild card spot in the National League suffered a major blow via a three game sweep on the road at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies, which moved the team back to 5.5 games out of the final wildcard sport as of August 25th.[38]
Alec Burleson provided a high note for himself and the team to finish out the month by notching is 100th RBI of the season in a 5-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, August 30th.[39] Burleson became the first Cardinals player since 2022 to reach the 100 RBI mark, and the first left-handed Cardinals batter with 100 RBI in a season since Jim Edmonds in 2004.[39]
September - Push for a .500 record, & noteworthy events
The Cardinals began September with two unlikely wins on the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers where the team's offensive scored a combined 21 runs across the two game.[29] The second win brought the team back to a .500 record, however, fitting with a theme a struggling to secure a three game series sweep when possible during this year, the Cards dropped the third game of the series. After that, the club switched off between winning & losing as they completed a series win on the road against the Colorado Rockies, again pulling back to .500, but running out of time to secure a playoff spot.
The Doug Eddings Game - Incident with Umpire on September 4th
Noteworthy during the Colorado series was an incident that occurred between several team members and MLB umpire Doug Eddings during the September 4th game that made national sports news.[40] Umpire Eddings emphatically announced the result of a failed challenge by the Cardinals on a play at third base, then a short time later proceeded to tell rookie pitcher Hancel Rincon during his Major League debut to adjust his hat, which Rincon was wearing titled to his left-hand side at the time.[40] Manager Marmol subsequently confronted Eddings once Justin Bruihl was warming up as the next pitcher for the Cardinals, to whom Eddings assessed a pitch clock violation. Later in the game, with the Cardinals out of challenges, Eddings called a running safe during a play at the plate that he was both extremely close to and had a clear line of sight on where the batter was touched by the catcher's glove with the ball inside it before the batted touched the plate, prompting concerns of inappropriate behavior by Eddings.[41] It took a three run home run by Ivan Herrera in the ninth inning for the Cardinals to win the game & avoid what could have been an even more extended timeframe on the controversy.[40][42]
A day later during the second game of the three game series, Rincon's teammates and players on the Rockies titled their caps in show of solidarity with the pitcher.[43] More information and quotes by those involved in the September 4 incident became readily available the day afterwards as well. Press reports the following day relayed that Eddings was quoted after the September 4th game by saying, "“The batter said, ‘Hey, can he wear his hat like that?’” Eddings recounted after the game. “I really didn't know, but it was really, really crooked. I asked the catcher to tell him to straighten his hat out, and the pitcher did. Nobody said anything until he gave up a couple runs.”[44] The batter mentioned by Eddings in his quote, Hunter Goodman, subsequently refuted Eddings by saying, "“I never once mentioned the hat...It doesn’t matter who’s pitching. I don’t care how they wear the hat. I’m trying to find out where the ball is coming out, and I’m trying to worry about what I’m doing in the box. I’m not worried about how his hat looks.[44] After a few days had passed, some media & Cardinals fans began referring to the incident as "The Doug Eddings Game".[45]
After winning the series against Colorado, the Cardinals traveled to San Francisco, California and subsequently were swept in their next series against the San Francisco Giants.
Hall of Fame Induction Day - September 12th
After winning the first game of their series against the Chicago White Sox, the team's attention then turned towards the organization's annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols, & Bill Sherdel were inducted during pre-game ceremonies on Saturday, September 12th, 2026. After initial ceremonies including a sing-a-long of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" by those in attendance to a video of Stan Musial playing the song on his harmonica, Bill Sherdel's grandson, John Sherdel, was presented with his grandfather's Cardinals Hall of Fame plaque, and spoke to the crowd in recognition of his grandfather's honor. Sherdel told the assembly that his grandfather was a man of few words, but that his grandfather essentially inspired their family with living proving that achieving your dreams is possible, & Sherdel noted that five generations of his family lived or are currently living in the house his grandfather built. Sherdel finished his speech by relaying a quote from his grandfather from a 1950s edition of the Sporting News where Bill Sherdel said that pitching for the Cardinals was one of the best times of his life.
Yadier Molina was presented with his Cardinals Hall of Fame red jacket and Hall of Fame plaque. During his speech the emotional Molina thanked important people in his life and the Cardinals organization for their role in helping him achieve success. Molina then enlisted the help of Cardinals lead Spanish language broadcaster Polo Ascencio to provide an English translation to the crowd of messages Molina said directly to his late father, his mother in attendance at the event, other family members, & the people of Puerto Rico.
Albert Pujols capped the ceremonies with a speech after receiving his own red jacket & Cardinals Hall of Fame plaque. Pujols thanked multiple members of the organization during his speech, and similar to Molina, included a nod to the people of his home country of the Dominican Republic.
The day did not have a storybook ending though, as the team suffered a blown save in the ninth inning against the White Sox, fighting for their one playoffs lives in both their division and the Wild Card race, leading to a 6-5 loss for the Cards.
Outcomes During Last Two Weeks of the Season
After winning the series against the White Sox the next day, the Cardinals hosted the Giants at Busch Stadium for three games, wherein the Giants won the series two games to one. The Cardinals were then unable to win another series for the remainder of the year, losing to Pittsburgh & then Washington by two games to one in those three game series, went on the road & lost a three game series to Pittsburgh two games to one, before being swept on the road by Milwaukee to close out the season. At season's end, the Cardinals had amassed a 77-85 record, finishing fourth in the N.L. Central. In a year focused on giving new players & younger players opportunities, the Cardinals had thirteen players make their Major League debut during the course of the season.[46] Bright spots remained though, with Burleson ending the regular season as the Major League RBI leader with 116 RBI, and Leon Bernal homering in the final game of the year to help fuel hope of better days ahead for the team.
Season standings
National League Central
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Brewers | 103 | 59 | .636 | — | 55–26 | 48–33 |
| Chicago Cubs | 89 | 73 | .549 | 14 | 46–35 | 43–38 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 82 | 80 | .506 | 21 | 44–37 | 38–43 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 77 | 85 | .475 | 26 | 38–43 | 39–42 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 75 | 87 | .463 | 28 | 38–43 | 37–44 |
National League Wild Card
| Team | W | L | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Brewers | 103 | 59 | .636 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 100 | 62 | .617 |
| Atlanta Braves | 94 | 68 | .580 |
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Padres | 91 | 71 | .562 | +3 |
| Chicago Cubs | 89 | 73 | .549 | +1 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 88 | 74 | .543 | — |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 86 | 76 | .531 | 2 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 82 | 80 | .506 | 6 |
| Miami Marlins | 80 | 82 | .494 | 8 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 77 | 85 | .475 | 11 |
| Washington Nationals | 77 | 85 | .475 | 11 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 75 | 87 | .463 | 13 |
| New York Mets | 74 | 88 | .457 | 14 |
| San Francisco Giants | 65 | 97 | .401 | 23 |
| Colorado Rockies | 58 | 104 | .358 | 30 |
Record vs. opponents
Record vs. National League
|
Source: MLB Standings Grid – 2026 | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | AZ | ATL | CHC | CIN | COL | LAD | MIA | MIL | NYM | PHI | PIT | SD | SF | STL | WSH | AL |
| Arizona | — | 4–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 9–4 | 7–6 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 6–7 | 10–3 | 5–2 | 2–4 | 24–24 |
| Atlanta | 3–4 | — | 3–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 9–4 | 3–3 | 6–7 | 9–4 | 5–1 | 3–4 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 9–4 | 27–21 |
| Chicago | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 9–4 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–9 | 7–0 | 6–1 | 7–6 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 6–7 | 3–3 | 22–26 |
| Cincinnati | 2–4 | 3–3 | 4–9 | — | 4–2 | 1–6 | 3–4 | 4–9 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 6–7 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 5–8 | 1–5 | 29–19 |
| Colorado | 4–9 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 2–4 | — | 3–10 | 2–5 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–11 | 7–6 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 20–28 |
| Los Angeles | 6–7 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 6–1 | 10–3 | — | 2–4 | 3–4 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 8–5 | 9–4 | 2–4 | 6–0 | 31–17 |
| Miami | 5–1 | 4–9 | 3–3 | 4–3 | 5–2 | 4–2 | — | 1–5 | 6–7 | 5–8 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 9–4 | 22–26 |
| Milwaukee | 4–2 | 3–3 | 9–4 | 9–4 | 5–1 | 4–3 | 5–1 | — | 4–2 | 4–2 | 6–7 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 11–2 | 2–4 | 32–16 |
| New York | 2–4 | 7–6 | 0–7 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 7–6 | 2–4 | — | 6–7 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 5–2 | 2–4 | 7–6 | 23–25 |
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 4–9 | 1–6 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 8–5 | 2–4 | 7–6 | — | 5–2 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 9–4 | 26–22 |
| Pittsburgh | 3–3 | 1–5 | 6–7 | 7–6 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 7–6 | 2–4 | 2–5 | — | 3–3 | 3–3 | 6–7 | 4–3 | 32–16 |
| San Diego | 7–6 | 4–3 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 11–2 | 5–8 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 3–3 | — | 9–4 | 3–4 | 4–2 | 29–19 |
| San Francisco | 3–10 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 6–7 | 4–9 | 2–4 | 4–3 | 2–5 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 4–9 | — | 5–1 | 3–3 | 16–32 |
| St. Louis | 2–5 | 4–2 | 7–6 | 8–5 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–11 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 7–6 | 4–3 | 1–5 | — | 3–3 | 23–25 |
| Washington | 4–2 | 4–9 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 4–3 | 0–6 | 4–9 | 4–2 | 6–7 | 4–9 | 3–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | — | 28–20 |
Updated with the results of all games through September 27, 2026.
Record vs. American League
|
Source: MLB Standings | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | ATH | BAL | BOS | CWS | CLE | DET | HOU | KC | LAA | MIN | NYY | SEA | TB | TEX | TOR | |
| Arizona | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 2–4 | 2–1 | |
| Atlanta | 2–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | |
| Chicago | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | |
| Cincinnati | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–4 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | |
| Colorado | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 4–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | |
| Los Angeles | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 5–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | |
| Miami | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | |
| Milwaukee | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | |
| New York | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | |
| Philadelphia | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–3 | |
| Pittsburgh | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | |
| San Diego | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 6–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | |
| San Francisco | 4–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | |
| St. Louis | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | |
| Washington | 2–1 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | |
Updated with the results of all games through September 27, 2026.
Game log
The Cardinals released their 2026 schedule on August 26, 2025. For one of the few times in the past dozen years, the Cardinals opened the regular season at home for 2026, hosting the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day, March 26, at Busch Stadium, in its 21st season. Their first National League series was on March 30–April 1 against the New York Mets. The season will end with a September 25–27 weekend road series at the Milwaukee Brewers.[47]
| Legend | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals Win | Cardinals Loss | Game postponed | Eliminated from playoff race |
| Boldface text denotes a Cardinals pitcher | |||
| 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Game Log: 77–85 (Home: 38–43; Away: 39–42) [48] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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March/April: 18–13 (Home: 7–8; Road: 11–5)
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May: 13–13 (Home: 8–6; Road: 5–7)
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June: 13–12 (Home: 8–7; Road: 5–5)
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July: 10–18 (Home: 5–11; Road: 5–7)
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August: 14–14 (Home: 6–6; Road: 8–8)
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September: 9–15 (Home: 4–5; Road: 5–10)
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Roster
Player stats
| = Indicates team leader |
| = Indicates league leader |
Batting
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases; BB = Walks; AVG = Batting average; SLG = Slugging average
| Player | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | AVG | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Walker | 158 | 609 | 97 | 164 | 33 | 0 | 29 | 102 | 22 | 50 | 269 | .466 |
| Iván Herrera | 161 | 605 | 98 | 146 | 26 | 1 | 19 | 69 | 8 | 76 | .241 | .382 |
| Alec Burleson | 160 | 605 | 89 | 169 | 37 | 1 | 26 | 116 | 4 | 55 | .279 | .473 |
| JJ Wetherholt | 139 | 537 | 89 | 130 | 15 | 0 | 17 | 51 | 14 | 64 | .242 | .365 |
| Masyn Winn | 136 | 470 | 54 | 109 | 21 | 2 | 5 | 56 | 10 | 48 | .232 | .317 |
| Nathan Church | 142 | 434 | 53 | 107 | 17 | 2 | 10 | 50 | 10 | 25 | .247 | .364 |
| José Fermín | 118 | 327 | 33 | 81 | 17 | 0 | 6 | 41 | 8 | 30 | .248 | .355 |
| Nolan Gorman | 85 | 266 | 26 | 49 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 33 | 0 | 33 | .184 | .308 |
| Pedro Pagés | 82 | 189 | 14 | 41 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 14 | .217 | .312 |
| Blaze Jordan | 58 | 186 | 16 | 46 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 7 | .247 | .382 |
| Bryan Torres | 74 | 166 | 17 | 38 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 2 | 18 | .229 | .331 |
| Victor Scott II | 80 | 166 | 19 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 16 | .193 | .253 |
| Thomas Saggese | 57 | 162 | 25 | 38 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 13 | .235 | .352 |
| Lars Nootbaar | 48 | 158 | 22 | 37 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 1 | 24 | .234 | .354 |
| Jimmy Crooks | 52 | 134 | 10 | 24 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 9 | .179 | .336 |
| Joshua Báez | 29 | 100 | 18 | 23 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 18 | 2 | 4 | .230 | .510 |
| Leo Bernal | 24 | 95 | 12 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 21 | 0 | 7 | .284 | .474 |
| Ramón Urías | 43 | 86 | 14 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 9 | .151 | .326 |
| Nelson Velázquez | 34 | 74 | 10 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 7 | .216 | .432 |
| César Prieto | 16 | 38 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .079 | .132 |
| Yohel Pozo | 18 | 33 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | .242 | .273 |
| Everson Pereira | 11 | 18 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .278 | .444 |
| Totals | 162 | 5458 | 720 | 1306 | 228 | 15 | 167 | 696 | 100 | 511 | .239 | .378 |
Source:[50]
Pitching
Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | W | L | ERA | G | GS | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael McGreevy | 7 | 9 | 3.95 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 168.2 | 168 | 79 | 74 | 48 | 115 |
| Andre Pallante | 12 | 9 | 3.83 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 162.0 | 156 | 73 | 69 | 50 | 110 |
| Matthew Liberatore | 6 | 14 | 5.23 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 155.0 | 173 | 96 | 90 | 55 | 154 |
| Kyle Leahy | 10 | 5 | 3.66 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 140.0 | 147 | 58 | 57 | 41 | 132 |
| Dustin May | 5 | 7 | 4.38 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 109.0 | 105 | 56 | 53 | 35 | 106 |
| Gordon Graceffo | 8 | 2 | 2.67 | 62 | 1 | 1 | 81.0 | 53 | 28 | 24 | 36 | 63 |
| Justin Bruihl | 1 | 1 | 3.71 | 73 | 0 | 0 | 77.2 | 75 | 41 | 32 | 28 | 53 |
| George Soriano | 6 | 5 | 4.23 | 70 | 0 | 4 | 66.0 | 57 | 33 | 31 | 35 | 66 |
| Riley O'Brien | 3 | 9 | 4.08 | 66 | 0 | 38 | 64.0 | 53 | 35 | 29 | 29 | 64 |
| Ryne Stanek | 2 | 3 | 4.02 | 70 | 0 | 2 | 62.2 | 52 | 31 | 28 | 32 | 65 |
| Hunter Dobbins | 3 | 3 | 3.67 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 54.0 | 49 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 52 |
| Quinn Mathews | 2 | 4 | 3.83 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 49.1 | 48 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 46 |
| Matt Svanson | 2 | 3 | 7.27 | 41 | 1 | 0 | 43.1 | 55 | 39 | 35 | 21 | 41 |
| JoJo Romero | 1 | 3 | 3.35 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 43.0 | 40 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 43 |
| Luis Gastélum | 5 | 4 | 4.42 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 36.2 | 34 | 23 | 18 | 12 | 44 |
| Ryan Fernandez | 1 | 2 | 3.52 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 23.0 | 19 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 28 |
| Brycen Mautz | 0 | 1 | 5.87 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 15.1 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 19 |
| Peter Strzelecki | 1 | 1 | 5.79 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 14.0 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 8 |
| Cade Winquest | 1 | 0 | 3.95 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 13.2 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 16 |
| Cooper Hjerpe | 1 | 0 | 4.38 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12.1 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 15 |
| Jared Shuster | 0 | 0 | 9.00 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 9.0 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 4 |
| Max Rajcic | 0 | 0 | 5.00 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 9.0 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
| Caleb Ferguson | 0 | 0 | 8.64 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8.1 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Matt Pushard | 0 | 0 | 5.14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7.0 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Chris Roycroft | 0 | 0 | 15.19 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 5.1 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 4 |
| Bruce Zimmermann | 0 | 0 | 5.40 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Hancel Rincon | 0 | 0 | 27.00 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2.1 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 3 |
| Scott Blewett | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Bryan Torres | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Pedro Pagés | 0 | 0 | 4.50 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 77 | 85 | 4.27 | 162 | 162 | 46 | 1442.2 | 1393 | 749 | 684 | 564 | 1278 |
Source:[51]
Minor league system and first-year player draft
Teams
| Level | Team | League | Division | Manager | W–L/Stats | Standing | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triple-A | Memphis Redbirds | International League | West | Ben Johnson | [52] | ||
| Double-A | Springfield Cardinals | Texas League | North | Patrick Anderson | |||
| High-A | Peoria Chiefs | Midwest League | West | Roberto Espinoza | |||
| Single-A | Palm Beach Cardinals | Florida State League | East | Rich Benjamin | |||
| Rookie | FCL Cardinals | Florida Complex League | East | Willi Martin | |||
| Foreign Rookie | DSL Cardinals | Dominican Summer League | Boca Chica South | Fray Peniche | |||
