51黑料

If that comes off a smart aleck remark, well, it鈥檚 only about one-third as snarky as it seems.

After all, you鈥檝e got to factor in the high level of uncertainty surrounding the 2027 season. The current collective bargaining agreement between the MLB Players Association and Major League Baseball expires the night of Dec. 1, 2026. So that 2027 season is a wild card, especially when you鈥檝e got a superstar player like in expletive-laced clubhouse exchange.

Anyway, the Cardinals turned their attention to the future at this week鈥檚 MLB trading deadline.

In the process, they got prospects in return for players on expiring contracts. They also took the legs out from underneath their bullpen by subtracting record-setting closer and two-time All-Star Ryan Helsley (to the New York Mets), veteran set-up man and strikeout afficionado Phil Maton (Texas Rangers) and versatile left-handed bullpen convert Steven Matz (Boston Red Sox).

The Cardinals already began trying to put a brighter face on the final two months of the season with terms like 鈥渙pportunity,鈥� but the hard fact is they鈥檒l have limited options in terms of experience and consistent performance aside from lefty JoJo Romero.

That will make it difficult to lean on the bullpen to keep them in games or close out games.

Yes, teams have been 鈥渟ellers鈥� at the deadline and still made a playoff push. Cardinals veteran starting pitcher Miles Mikolas offered a recent example of the Detroit Tigers as either a rallying cry or a sign of denial, depending upon your outlook (or level of delusion).

鈥淲e鈥檝e got a lot of young guys in here that are really good ballplayers,鈥� Mikolas said standing in front of his locker at Busch Stadium on Wednesday night after his start. 鈥淵ou saw kind of what the Tigers did last year, sellers at the deadline. I don鈥檛 put that past this group of guys at all.鈥�

The Cardinals will finish the season with largely the same core group they brought into the year, but that group now enters a state of limbo. A new sheriff takes over the baseball operations department after this season, and his name is Chaim Bloom.

For right now, the closest thing to a specific direction that鈥檚 been communicated by the Cardinals has been a desire to do what鈥檚 necessary now to position the club for long-term success.

鈥淲e knew we were going to have to make some tough decisions in order to set this thing up for the future,鈥� Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said after a series-ending loss to the Miami Marlins.

鈥淲e鈥檝e talked a decent amount about it. Man, I want to be part of exactly that 鈥� not just sneaking into the playoffs, but setting this up in a way where we have some really good players (and) where you show up every day and you鈥檙e expecting to win.鈥�

Of course, it remains an open question if the new front office regime views the current core as the group that will anchor the next contending Cardinals club.

Or will Bloom, once he officially takes over, begin the process of building a foundation centered around an even younger group that includes prospects like and pitcher Quinn Mathews?

Might Bloom look to swap part of this current core in return for players that line up age-wise with the group of prospects currently in the minors?

Most of the players acquired at this deadline were below the Double-A level of the minor leagues. They鈥檙e likely multiple seasons away from contributing to the big club.

Thanks to the infernal injury bug, the Cardinals still have a sizeable hole in their internal starting pitching options. Top pitching prospects Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby, Cooper Hjerpe, Sem Robberse and Mathews were all bit by it, to some extent, this season. As were pitchers with major-league innings under their belt like Zack Thompson and Drew Rom.

Unless the Cardinals miraculously hit the ground running coming out of the gate in 2027, which almost assuredly will require some hefty spending on this winter鈥檚 free-agent market, then you鈥檙e talking about this current group getting another year older and another year closer to free agency before it ever makes a true playoff run.

Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar only remain under club control through 2027, while Andre Pallante, Alec Burleson and Nolan Gorman aren鈥檛 obligated past 2028.

If next season serves as a new starting point for Bloom to build for multiple years down the line, then the current core could be near the end of its collective window when this rebuild comes to fruition.

Even if Wetherholt, Jimmy Crooks, Liam Doyle and whatever other prospect you want to hang your hopes on arrive next season, that doesn鈥檛 mean they鈥檒l immediately turn into the major league players they鈥檒l ultimately become.

Just look around MLB.

Kansas City Royals superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. went from about a 1-WAR (wins above replacement) player as a rookie to a 4.3 WAR player in his second season to an MVP candidate and 9.4 WAR in his third season. His third season.

Former No. 1 overall draft pick and Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman made an immediate impact in the big leagues as a rookie in 2022, and his production has dropped each season since.

Neither Jonathan India nor former Cardinal Dylan Carlson has maintained the level of play that put them among the top rookies in 2021. India won the NL Rookie of the Year that season. Neither remains with his original team.

Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has become one of the current flag bearers for big-league starting pitchers, but his first three seasons were largely characterized by potential.

There鈥檚 no pinpointing when or if the Cardinals will be ready to turn a corner, regardless of highly touted draft classes or upgrades to the player development infrastructure.

This trade deadline just confirmed that it won鈥檛 be this season, and next year is a very big question mark.