The Cardinals finished 2025 5 games below their 2024 output, good enough for 4th in the NL Central. The front office is already using the word “patience” which could signify a rather quiet offseason in St. Louis, as the team turns its focus on developing their next young core.

A Bright Spot
A Starting Rotation that featured Sonny Gray, Matthew Liberatore & Michael McGreevy, with Kyle Leahy & Andre Pallante holding their own as well. All are under contract/control for 2026, but Gray will need some convincing to return if the team doesn’t project to be in contention.

A Big Concern
Nolan Arenado’s future. The 34-year-old is on the books at 2 years, $42M, while the production (especially as it pertains to power), has begun its downward slide. The expectation is that a trade out of town is imminent, but St. Louis may need to retain a good portion of that salary in order to garner an adequate return.

Related Links
2026 Cardinals Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

Mikolas was bitten by the long-ball in 2025, a theme for each of the past 4 seasons. He’s still a serviceable, durable starter despite the advanced age, but St. Louis is likely looking to turn his spot over going forward.

PLAYER MARKET VALUE
Miles Mikolas (SP, 37) $6.4M

Arbitration-Eligibility

The two names to watch here could be Nootbaar and Gorman, both of whom have underperformed based on entry expectations, and could be flipped in the right scenarios. There’s also the potential for massive starting pitcher value on this list.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
JoJo Romero (RP, 29) $5.8M
Brendan Donovan (2B, 29) $5.75M
Lars Nootbaar (OF, 28) $5.2M
Andre Pallante (SP, 27) $3.9M
Jorge Alcala (RP, 30) $3M
Matthew Liberatore (SP, 26) $3M
Nolan Gorman (3B, 26) $2.75M
Alec Burleson (1B, 27) $2.1M
John King (RP, 31) $2M

Guaranteed Salary

Arenado is a legitimate trade candidate this winter, though that may be easier said than done per his financials. The Cardinals want Gray back in the fold, but he’s spoken about finishing out this contract with a contender, and may force St. Louis’ hand.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
Nolan Arenado (3B, 35) $25.5M
Sonny Gray (SP, 36) $25M
Willson Contreras (1B, 34) $17.5M

Team Tax Projections

St. Louis currently projects toward a $135M CBT payroll, $109M under the threshold. There’s a world where this number gets lower - not higher in the coming months.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews