Lefty Grove caps a historic 31‑win, 2.06 ERA season with the inaugural BBWAA American League MVP award on Oct. 28, 2026. The Philadelphia Athletics ace outduels Lou Gehrig, leading the league in wins, strikeouts (175), complete games (27), shutouts (4) and WHIP (1.077) while posting a 16‑game winning streak. His 10.4 WAR remains one of only 22 Live‑Ball Era seasons at that level. Grove’s dominance helped the A’s secure a third straight AL pennant, though they fall to the Cardinals in the World Series. The Hall of Fame notes his career totals of 300‑141, 3.06 ERA and two pitching Triple Crowns.
Chaim Bloom thinks Jesus Baez can be the St. Louis Cardinals shortstop long-term, putting pressure on Masyn Winn to prove why he's the guy in 2027. Baez has major power and good defense that gives him a higher ceiling than what Winn has shown so far.
The Viva El Birdos piece dissects the St. Louis Cardinals’ disappointing 2026 season, blaming a lack of power and overall offensive weakness for the team’s low rankings—22nd in average and OBP, 29th in OPS, and 24th in home runs. The article notes the surprise firing of hitting coach Brant Brown and speculates on successors like Casey Chenoweth or Brandon Allen. It highlights key power players (Baez, Walker, Burleson, Bernal) and the decline of others such as Ivan Herrera and JJ Wetherholt, whose injuries and reduced ISO hurt run production. Defensive fundamentals remain a hallmark, but a shift toward swing‑and‑miss pitching under Chaim Bloom is also examined.
The 2020 World Series opens with back‑to‑back one‑run games for the first time since 2010, as the Tampa Bay Rays take a 2-0 lead over the Milwaukee Brewers. Game 1 saw Texas edge St. Louis 3‑2, and the Cardinals returned the favor 2‑1 in Game 2. The last series with consecutive one‑run openings was in 2000, when the Yankees swept the Mets. Only four champions have ever won all four games by a single run—Boston (1915, 1918), the 1972 A’s, and the 1992 Blue Jays. Tonight’s matchup, a must‑win for the Rays, kicks off at 5 p.m. on FOX.
St. Louis Cardinals prospect Miguel Hernandez may not be known by many yet, but he has the potential to be one of their best prospects in short order. The 18 year old had an incredible season and Baseball America nad other outlets are noticing.
The Houston Astros are set to interview longtime Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo on Monday for their vacant general manager role, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Rizzo, who led the Nats to a World Series title in 2019, is the most seasoned candidate among a pool that includes Brewers assistant GM Matt Kleine (who has already met with Houston), White Sox assistant Josh Barfield, Cardinals assistant Randy Flores, Royals SVP Scott Sharp, and Braves assistant Ben Sestanovich, as well as Astros assistants Charles Cook and Gavin Dickey. At 65, Rizzo brings proven success but faces questions about his adaptability to modern analytics, while younger contenders offer fresh perspectives.
In Episode 88 of the Viva El Birdos podcast (Oct 26 2026), Cardinals right‑handed pitching prospect Jacob Odle recounts his unexpected rise from junior‑college standout to MLB Draft League player and his eventual selection by St. Louis. He shares draft‑day anecdotes, training life in Florida—including a customized workout schedule and a weekly book club on decision‑making—and connections with fellow Southern‑California draftees Ariel Armis (Cubs) and Jacob Christian (Giants). Listeners get an inside look at Odle’s development regimen and mindset as he tackles the next step toward a major‑league career.
The St. Louis Cardinals are one of baseball's youngest and most homegrown teams. 101ESPN's Brandon Kiley pointed out that the Rays and Brewers, although homegrown as well, make lots of outside additions.
Left‑handed reliever Robby Ahlstrom made his MLB debut with the Texas Rangers in 2026 after years of prospect hype and command struggles in the minors. Acquired from the Yankees in a 2022 trade, he refined his control at Round Rock, walking just 8 of 116 batters early in the season. Called up on June 1, Ahlstrom retired all four Cardinals hitters in his first appearance and held a 0.00 ERA through his first nine outings, but his performance later wavered, spiking to a 7.07 ERA after a rough June‑July stretch and again after the All‑Star break, including a September 2 outing against the Athletics where he surrendered three runs and two homers. The piece reviews his volatile season and the Rangers’ bullpen context.
Matthew Liberatore couldn't improve on his solid 2025 season this year, instead proving to the Cardinals that he'll likely never live up to his billing as one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball.
The author weighs the slim odds of the St. Louis Cardinals signing reliever Adrian Morejon, noting his elite 2‑WAR value and 28‑year‑old status. Using Fangraphs data, he estimates a contract around 5 years for $75‑$80 million—significantly higher than $50 million but below closer‑in closer Edwin Díaz’s $100 million deal. Morejon’s recent stats (70 games, 74.1 IP, 2.58 ERA, 2.1 fWAR) suggest he could dramatically improve the Cardinals’ struggling bullpen, though his lack of name recognition and the steep price raise concerns. The piece outlines pros and cons of the potential free‑agent move.
The Arizona Fall League Hot Sheet ranks the 10 hottest prospects over the past week, headlined by Cardinals outfielder Tai Peete.
The post Ranking The 10 Hottest Arizona Fall League Prospects | Hot Sheet (10/26/26) appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America .
Players like Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, and Lou Brock headline an all-time St. Louis Cardinals World Series team.
The St. Louis Cardinals had a great 2026 season -- on the field and in the broadcast booth. Chip Caray and Brad Thompson led the way to being ranked third in baseball broadcasts via household ratings.
St. Louis Cardinals prospect Tai Peete just became the first player in the Arizona Fall League to triple in four straight games since at least 2005. He's been on fire.
Viva El Birdos breaks down the St. Louis Cardinals’ projected 2027 lineup as General Manager Chaim Bloom hints at limited offseason moves. The author rates JJ Wetherholt, Alec Burleson and Ivan Herrera as Tier 1, expecting them to anchor a potent top of the order after a solid 2026 showing. Jordan Walker and Leo Bernal land in Tier 2, with Walker praised for playing through discomfort. Early-season confidence is high for Nathan Church starting center field and Blaze Jordan edging Thomas Saggese at third base, though those spots remain uncertain. The piece forecasts a similar win total to 2026, emphasizing health management and modest roster tweaks rather than blockbuster trades.
The St. Louis Cardinals will need to be savvy during this year's free agency period. Tyrone Taylor, Jason Adam, and Ryan Yarbrough could all make great additions to the roster.
Cardinals prospect Michael Watson believes that Chaim Bloom is setting up the minor league system for sustained big league success.
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol has been under fire since taking the job. 2027 could be the year when he has to prove his worth to the organization or risk losing his job.
The Milwaukee Brewers snap a 44‑year World Series drought with a 3‑2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Oct. 23, 2026 – their first Series victory since Game 5 in 1982. Jacob Misiorowski pitches five solid innings, while Abner Uribe, Aaron Ashby and Trevor Megill close the game. Catcher William Contreras makes history, going 2‑for‑3, throwing out two Rays base‑stealers and winning every ABS challenge, becoming the first catcher this century with two hits and two caught stealings in a World Series game. Jackson Chourio adds an insurance RBI in the seventh, and the Brewers lead 1‑0 in the Series.
The Viva El Birdos piece grades every St. Louis Cardinals prospect that began 2026 on the preseason FanGraphs list, assigning each a status—Stock Up, Stock Ticking Up, Stock Ticking Down, or Stock Down. Highlights include Sebastian Dos Santos (Low‑A SS) jumping to a "Stock Up" with a standout age‑18 season, Won‑Bin Cho (Double‑A OF) breaking out and earning a promotion, and Jack Gurevitch (Double‑A 1B/3B) smashing 32 homers for a "Stock Up" rating. Meanwhile, several prospects slipped, such as Yordy Herrera (Low‑A LHP) who was released and Matt Pushard (MLB RHP) who failed to stick after a Rule 5 pick. The article offers a concise, tier‑by‑tier recap of the Cardinals’ farm system performance in 2026.
St. Louis Cardinals farm director Larry Day compared top prospect Rainiel Rodriguez to future Hall of Famer Jose Ramirez, whom he spent significant time with during his time with the Cleveland Guardians, for his combination of talent and work ethic.
Brant Brown is out as the St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach, and despite the praise he received in 2025, his failures to get the most out of players and the success of Casey Chenoweth should have been writing on the wall.
The St. Louis Cardinals have fired hitting coach Brant Brown after two seasons, according to The Athletic’s Katie Woo. The club ranked 16th in scoring in 2026 and fell in the bottom five for OPS, wOBA and wRC+, mirroring offensive struggles from 2025. While most of manager Oli Marmol’s staff stays—outfield coach Jon Jay and third‑base coach Ron Warner are retained—Brown’s departure caps a disappointing offensive stretch. Bright spots included Jordan Walker’s breakout (29 homers, 22 steals, All‑Star nod) and rookie JJ Wetherholt’s 17 homers and 89 runs. The Cardinals aim to shore up third base and center field heading into 2027.
The St. Louis Cardinals just let go of hitting coach Brant Brown, and now they need to hire a replacement. Casey Chenoweth, Brandon Allen, and Dalton Hurd make sense internally while Peter Fatse and Will Bradley could be external hires.