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Bligh Madris Bligh Madris Goes to St. Louis on MiLB deal
Wed, Feb 4, 2026, 1:10 PM
The Cardinals signed Madris to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Chase Ford of Milb Central reports.
Analysis: Madris slashed .232/.320/.384 with five home runs in 50 games with Triple-A Toledo in the Tigers organization last season. He'll turn 30 later this month and has managed a .204/.273/.286 batting line in parts of three major-league seasons. Madris should be ticketed for Triple-A Memphis to begin the upcoming season. |
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Thomas Saggese Thomas Saggese Could get look in outfield
Tue, Feb 3, 2026, 11:58 AM
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Tuesday that Saggese could factor into the team's outfield mix this season, Brandon Kiley of 101 ESPN St. Louis reports.
Analysis: Saggese has only played the infield to this point in his professional career. Adding to his versatility would give Saggese more avenues to playing time, particularly since the Cardinals are light on right-handed-hitting outfielders. Saggese has slashed a disappointing .250/.292/.336 with a 28 percent strikeout rate in his first 100 games at the big-league level, but he'll turn just 24 in April and was a .288/.358/.485 hitter in the minors. |
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Nolan Gorman Nolan Gorman Will get 'plenty of opportunity'
Tue, Feb 3, 2026, 11:47 AM
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Tuesday that Gorman "should have plenty of opportunity this year," Brandon Kiley of 101 ESPN St. Louis reports.
Analysis: Bloom didn't explicitly say it, but the expectation is that Gorman will take over as the team's primary third baseman in 2026 for the departed Nolan Arenado. After a mini-breakout in 2023 that saw him crank 27 home runs, Gorman has slashed just .204/.284/.385 with a 35.7 percent strikeout rate over the last two seasons. He's still just 25, however, and the rebuilding Cardinals aren't ready to give up on his power potential. |
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Lars Nootbaar Lars Nootbaar Could open season on injured list
Thu, Jan 29, 2026, 8:55 AM
Nootbaar (heels) opening the season on the injured list is "fair to assume" until he shows he can play in games at full speed, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Analysis: Nootbaar underwent surgery in early October to address deformities on both of his heels. It's possible the outfielder looks good in camp and is ready to go Opening Day, but the likelier scenario is the rebuilding Cardinals err on the side of caution and ease Nootbaar into things. More will be known during spring training about the progress of his recovery. If Nootbaar does need an IL stint and Brendan Donovan is still with the team, Donovan could slide out to start in left field. Nathan Church could handle left field if Nootbaar isn't ready and Donovan is traded. |
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Hunter Dobbins Hunter Dobbins Uncertain timeline for return
Thu, Jan 29, 2026, 8:40 AM
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom indicated during the team's recent Winter Warm-Up fan event that it's uncertain whether Dobbins (knee) will pitch in spring training games, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Analysis: Dobbins needed surgery to repair a torn right ACL in July. He's been throwing all offseason, but the Cardinals could still choose to slow-play their offseason trade acquisition. If healthy, Dobbins will compete for a spot in the St. Louis rotation, but he does have minor-league options remaining and could also be stashed on the injured list for a while. More clarity on Dobbins' timetable should be available once spring training gets underway. |
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Nelson Velazquez Nelson Velazquez Gets NRI from St. Louis
Mon, Jan 26, 2026, 5:11 PM
The Cardinals signed Velazquez to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training.
Analysis: Velazquez split the 2025 season between the Triple-A level in the Royals and Pirates organizations and also spent time in the Mexican League. The 27-year-old has cranked 31 home runs in 615 plate appearances at the major-league level, but that's come with just a .212/.286/.433 career batting line and 28.8 percent strikeout rate. The Cardinals have been looking for a right-handed-hitting reserve outfielder, which gives Velazquez a chance to make the team even if the odds aren't high. |
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Ivan Herrera Ivan Herrera Begins throwing program
Thu, Jan 22, 2026, 11:04 AM
Herrera (elbow) was cleared to begin a throwing program earlier in January and is expected to begin hitting and defensive drills this week, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis: Herrera underwent surgery in November to remove bone spurs from his right elbow, an injury that limited him to designated-hitter duty in the final few months of the 2025 season. The 25-year-old is expected to be ready to roll for the start of spring training. Herrera will attempt to return to the catching position in 2026, though Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol indicated that the team's evaluation of Herrera at catcher will likely continue into the regular season. For fantasy purposes, Herrera will enter 2026 as utility-eligible only, but he could regain catcher eligibility early on. |
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Masyn Winn Masyn Winn Plans to run more with healthy knee
Mon, Jan 19, 2026, 8:42 AM
Winn has been sprinting for weeks and will not have any limitations with his surgically repaired right knee at the beginning of spring training, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis: Winn played through a slight meniscus tear in his knee for most of the 2025 season before eventually having surgery in late September. While he won his first Gold Glove, Winn's offensive production slipped, as he finished with just a .673 OPS, nine home runs and nine stolen bases. With his knee repaired, Winn plans to be more active on the basepaths in 2026, saying, "I want to be able to use that speed." |
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Bruce Zimmermann Bruce Zimmermann Inks minors deal with Cardinals
Mon, Jan 12, 2026, 8:18 AM
The Cardinals signed Zimmermann to a minor-league contract Jan. 5 that includes an invitation to spring training.
Analysis: Zimmermann made one spot start with the Brewers in 2025 but spent the rest of the season at Triple-A Nashville, where he held a 4.11 ERA and 109:30 K:BB over 138 innings. The left-hander will compete for a roster spot in spring training, but his likely role will be rotation depth at Triple-A Memphis. |
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Ryne Stanek Ryne Stanek Headed to St. Louis
Fri, Jan 9, 2026, 7:27 PM
Stanek agreed to a contract with the Cardinals on Friday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Analysis: Stanek endured one of the worst seasons of his MLB career during 2025, finishing the year with a 5.30 ERA and 1.57 WHIP across 56 innings with the Mets. His recent performance will likely prevent him from taking on a high-leverage role right away with the Cardinals, though the team's lack of bullpen depth could enable him to pick up a handful of holds over the course of the season. |
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Nolan Gorman Nolan Gorman Avoids arbitration with Cardinals
Thu, Jan 8, 2026, 2:17 PM
The Cardinals and Gorman avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.655 million contract Thursday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: It was Gorman's first year of arbitration eligibility. The 25-year-old has regressed at the dish over the last two seasons, finishing 2025 with a .666 OPS, 14 home runs and a 33.8 percent strikeout rate. The left-handed-hitting Gorman could get another opportunity for regular at-bats versus right-handed pitching in 2026, though his playing time outlook would diminish if the Cardinals are unable to trade Nolan Arenado. |
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Matthew Liberatore Matthew Liberatore Settles with Cardinals
Thu, Jan 8, 2026, 2:13 PM
The Cardinals and Liberatore avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.26 million contract Thursday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis: Liberatore was eligible for salary arbitration for the first time as a Super 2 qualifier. The left-hander had a solid first full season in the Cardinals' rotation, finishing with a 4.21 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 122:40 K:BB in 151.2 innings over 29 starts. Liberatore will be counted on as a member of the St. Louis rotation again in 2026. |
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Alec Burleson Alec Burleson Reaches deal with St. Louis
Thu, Jan 8, 2026, 2:07 PM
The Cardinals and Burleson avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.3 million contract Thursday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Burleson receives a well-earned raise in what was his first year of arbitration eligibility. The 27-year-old has made a steady progression offensively for the Cardinals, finishing the 2025 campaign with a .290/.343/.459 batting line and 18 home runs. Burleson is slated to take over as the everyday first baseman in 2026 after spending most of his first four seasons playing the outfield. |
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Brendan Donovan Brendan Donovan Avoids arbitration with Cardinals
Thu, Jan 8, 2026, 1:41 PM
The Cardinals and Donovan avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.8 million contract Thursday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis: Donovan finished the 2025 season with a .287/.353/.422 batting line, 10 home runs and 32 doubles over 118 contests. He's a strong candidate to be traded before Opening Day, but if that doesn't happen, Donovan will open 2026 as the Cardinals' primary second baseman. He underwent abdominal surgery in October but is fully recovered. |
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JoJo Romero JoJo Romero Settles with Cardinals
Thu, Jan 8, 2026, 1:30 PM
The Cardinals and Romero avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.26 million contract Thursday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis: It was the final year of arbitration eligibility for Romero, who is slated to hit the free-agent market next winter. The lefty reliever held a 2.07 ERA and 55:29 K:BB over 61 innings in 2025, picking up eight saves. Romero could be in the mix for saves again if he's still with the Cardinals on Opening Day, but a trade to a contender -- where he'd likely fill in a middle-relief role -- is likelier. |
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Lars Nootbaar Lars Nootbaar Settles with Cards at $5.35 million
Thu, Jan 8, 2026, 12:32 PM
The Cardinals and Nootbaar (heels) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.35 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Analysis: Nootbaar played a career-high 135 games but produced a career-low .686 OPS for the Cardinals this past season. He underwent surgery on both heels in October and is not a lock to be ready for Opening Day. Once Nootbaar is ready, he's expected to be the team's primary left fielder. |
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Andre Pallante Andre Pallante Settles with Cardinals
Thu, Jan 8, 2026, 11:41 AM
The Cardinals and Pallante avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Analysis: Pallante is coming off a disappointing 2025 campaign, having collected a 5.31 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 111:62 K:BB over 162.2 innings covering 31 starts. He will nevertheless receive a substantial raise in his second year of arbitration eligibility. Pallante will have to compete for a spot in the Cardinals' rotation in 2026. |
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Zak Kent Zak Kent Jettisoned from 40-man roster
Tue, Jan 6, 2026, 2:09 PM
The Cardinals designated Kent for assignment Tuesday.
Analysis: The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Justin Bruihl, who was acquired via trade. Kent was a waiver claim of the Cardinals in December and will now go through the waivers process again. The righty reliever posted a 4.58 ERA and 16:8 K:BB over 17.2 innings for the Guardians in 2025. |
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Justin Bruihl Justin Bruihl Dealt to St. Louis
Tue, Jan 6, 2026, 2:06 PM
The Cardinals acquired Bruihl from the Guardians on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations.
Analysis: Bruihl has bounced around from the Blue Jays to the Guardians and now to the Cardinals since mid-December. The left-handed reliever holds a career 4.72 ERA and 69:32 K:BB over 89.2 frames covering parts of five major-league seasons. Bruihl does not have minor-league options remaining, so he's a good bet to make the Opening Day roster if he's still with St. Louis in spring training. |
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Jared Shuster Jared Shuster Lands in St. Louis as NRI
Mon, Dec 22, 2025, 10:38 AM
The Cardinals signed Shuster to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.
Analysis: A first-round pick in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft, Shuster was once a prospect of some note. However, the left-hander's performance thus far at the major-league level hasn't been encouraging, as he holds a 5.27 ERA and 98:64 K:BB over 141.2 innings covering parts of three seasons. Shuster is capable of starting and relieving, and it's unclear what role the Cardinals have in mind for him, but he has a chance to make the roster on a rebuilding squad. |
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