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Following a season that began with a start at catcher on opening day but has been spent primarily as a designated hitter, Cardinals slugger Ivan Herrera is set to use the upcoming offseason to prepare to head into spring training in 2026 as a catcher.

Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said he, incoming president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, and Herrera have discussed what Herrera’s winter “needs to look like� for the 25-year-old to have the “best opportunity� to do so.

Ahead of his potential final start at Busch Stadium as a member of the Cardinals, the significance of the outing as his time with the Cardinals nears a possible end crossed the mind of Miles Mikolas.

How his potential last outing in the ballpark he’s called home for the previous eight seasons led the veteran to recall the early starts to his Cardinals career.

With the top of their lineup due up and an automatic runner at second base to begin the bottom of the 10th inning after the Brewers took a one-run lead in the previous half inning, a costly baserunning error quieted the Cardinals’ chances to draw even with Milwaukee Saturday night at Busch Stadium.

On a ground ball All-Star Brendan Donovan hit back to the pitcher Jared Koenig to lead off the 10th inning, Lars Nootbaar lingered off the second base to catch Koenig’s attention. Koenig looked Nootbaar back and threw to first baseman Andruw Monasterio to record the out of Donovan. Nootbaar, who was brought off the bench in the 10th inning on defense after Yohel Pozo pinch-hit for Scott II an inning prior, attempted to race for third base on the throw. He was thrown out by Monasterio at third base on a double play to begin the inning.

As he makes the familiar drive this weekend to the ballpark he’s called home for the past five seasons, Nolan Arenado has thought about how these might be his final days calling Busch Stadium that.

“I definitely come to the ballpark with it in mind — this could be the last time playing at home, and thinking about it,� Arenado said late Friday night in the Cardinals clubhouse. “At the same time, I have a job to do. I would like to go out there and compete, have good at-bats, play some good defense, and at least give them something good to remember.�

Before Bill DeWitt III could explain why he brought a Cardinals jersey all the way to Vatican City as a gift for one of the world’s most famous White Sox fans, Pope Leo XIV interjected.

“He said, ‘My dad was a Cardinals fan,’� DeWitt recalled Friday. “He was pretty animated about it.�