Bloom's offseason starting point... I hope he wheels and deals and shakes things up more than the below shows.
- Starless team means everyone gets one game off every week... in addition to team off days... keep them fresh
- Walker goes to AAA for the entire season to work on becoming a decent MLB baseball player. Replace with a RH FA OF. (upgrade)
- Gorman gets traded due a glut of infielders and a glut of LH hitters. No room for him when Wetherholt arrives. (upgrade)
- Pozo gets traded due to a glut of catchers. Crooks arrives (upgrade)
- Keep Arenado and Contreras; can't afford to lose a RH bat. Gorman cannot play 3B but Donovan could.
- Teams needs to add a RH outfielder via free agency for 2026. In 2027, this could be Joshua Baez.
Distribution of starts by position
C
Crooks 81, Pages 81 (Injury depth: Herrera)
1B Contreras 135, Donovan 27 (Injury depth: Burleson)
2B
Wetherholt 108, Donovan 54 (Injury depth: Prieto)
SS Winn 135,
Wetherholt 27 (Injury depth: Saggese)
3B Arenado 135, Donovan 27 (Injury depth: Prieto)
LF Burleson 108, Donovan 27, Nootbar 27
CF Scott 108,
Church 54
RF Nootbar 108,
Church 54
DH Herrera 135, Burleson 27
Distribution of starts by player
135 starts for Contreras,
Wetherholt, Winn, Arenado, Burleson, Nootbar, Herrera, Donovan
108 starts for Scott,
Church
81 starts for
Crooks, Pages
New RH outfielder steals 45 starts from above outfielders against LHP. Also, can PH against LHP late in other games.
- Goodbye to Fedde via past trade; hello McGreevy (upgrade)
- Goodbye to Mikolas as a FA; hello Mathews (upgrade)
- Goodbye to Helsley via past trade; hello Fernandez (downgrade)
- Goodbye to Maton via past trade; hello Granillo (downgrade)
- Goodbye to Matz via past trade; hello Alcala or Graceffo (downgrade)
- Goodbye to King via future trade; hello Veneziano (upgrade?)
- Some obvious downgrades above so add 2 free agent relievers and push a couple of relievers above down to AAA as depth.
- Add a FA starting pitcher. Injuries happen and the Cards don't have depth until all the AA LH starters are ready for MLB later in 2026.
SP Gray,
Mathews, Liberatore,
McGreevy, Pallante
RP Leahy, Romero, Svanson, O'Brien,
Granillo, Alcala, Fernandez, Veneziano, Graceffo