#5 is where Bloom really needs to earn his paycheck and differentiate himself from Mo.mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑11 Feb 2026 10:25 am How far are they from really competing again:
(1) the development of Wetherholt (or someone else) into a cost-controlled All-Star level player
(2) the development of Doyle (or someone else) into a cost-controlled front-of-rotation SP
(3) continued, modest development by Winn, Burleson, Scott and Herrera
(4) emergence of a mid-rotation SP from Liberatore, Dobbins, Fitts, Mathews, McGreevy, etc. (others fill in back of rotation)
(5) addition of a FA front-of-rotation SP and a FA All-star level position player
(6) bonus - getting Gorman, Walker, or both back on track to be in at least solid, average ML regulars.
Then you have Jo. Baez, R. Rodriguez, Clarke, coming down the pipeline to continue feeding the ML roster.
Then 2,3,4, and 6 will make or break his career with the Cardinals. But as long as Oli and staff are the one's responsible for 3, 4, 6, that's a tough ask.