The St. Louis Cardinals finished 2024 with an 83-79 record, tying the Chicago Cubs for second place in the National League Central.
Unfortunately, this was not enough to reach the postseason. Instead, the Cardinals will be spending a second straight October at home.
After failing to reach the postseason, the Cardinals are about to enter a rebuilding period, which could mean that several key players will be moved.
Katie Woo of The Athletic expects the Cardinals to at least entertain offers for certain players.
"If you are a player in St. Louis and you're making significant money, I do expect you to be somewhat on the trade block this winter," Woo said on Foul Territory.
Cardinals fans may be in for a tough ride in 2025. Obviously, the past two seasons have been very disappointing for St. Louis, as there has been no October baseball.
But if the Cardinals are rebuilding, then players such as Sonny Gray, Ryan Helsley, Nolan Arenado, and Willson Contreras could all be on the move.
St. Louis could get a good haul of prospects in exchange for several of these players, which could set them up well to possibly contend again by 2026. But next year may be a rough one in St. Louis.
The Cardinals are already going to be operating on a smaller payroll, and trading players could be a way for them to cut down on their payroll.
It's obvious that even if the Cardinals don't trade players, the organization is less focused on building the best possible Major League roster while they invest in player development and the minor leagues.
It will be interesting to see how the offseason plays out for St. Louis and if they'll ultimately cut bait with some of their stars.
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