Will Bloom find a hitter to replace Contreras in the lineup?

[Shady]

If so, the Cardinals could be pretty good in '26. Keys will be 1) finding a hitter to replace Contreras' production 2) Donovan still being in the lineup 3) the starting pitchers maintaining their health 4) how much Wetherholt will help the team 4) Walker's and Gorman's progress/production.

[alw80]

Don't care.

[ecleme22]

If so, the Cardinals could be pretty good in '26. Keys will be 1) finding a hitter to replace Contreras' production 2) Donovan still being in the lineup 3) the starting pitchers maintaining their health 4) how much Wetherholt will help the team 4) Walker's and Gorman's progress/production.

Are you still writing OPs with the assumption Donovan is on the team?

[Shady]

If so, the Cardinals could be pretty good in '26. Keys will be 1) finding a hitter to replace Contreras' production 2) Donovan still being in the lineup 3) the starting pitchers maintaining their health 4) how much Wetherholt will help the team 4) Walker's and Gorman's progress/production.

Are you still writing OPs with the assumption Donovan is on the team?

Hopefully, considering the Cardinals '26 chances for success. Wetherholt leading off, Donovan batting 2nd, Burleson 3rd and Herrera 4th is appealing.

[NYCardsFan]

“If Bloom can just go out and find replacements for the productive veteran players he’s consciously trading away for future prospects, the Cardinals could be pretty good in ‘26.”

[Cusecards]

#1- I hope they keep Donovan. I understand his trade value but unless he brings back a TOR Starter in a deal/package I keep him. And while he is good I don’t think he brings that return?
#2- JJ could bring a major lineup presence starting this season.
#3- Trade Noot and Arenado.
#4- Find a steady position for Herrera’s bat.

And the biggest key:
Make or break year for Walker and Gorman!
Whichever doesn’t emerge get rid of. They have some young promising Catchers, Baez, etc
Next offseason could the time to add a FA bat(s) after the smoke clears.

[Shady]

#1- I hope they keep Donovan. I understand his trade value but unless he brings back a TOR Starter in a deal/package I keep him. And while he is good I don’t think he brings that return?
#2- JJ could bring a major lineup presence starting this season.
#3- Trade Noot and Arenado.
#4- Find a steady position for Herrera’s bat.

And the biggest key:
Make or break year for Walker and Gorman!
Whichever doesn’t emerge get rid of. They have some young promising Catchers, Baez, etc
Next offseason could the time to add a FA bat(s) after the smoke clears.

My hope, right now, is that Bloom is searching for the most productive bat he can find. A 3, 4 or 5 type hitter. By offering Romero, Nootbaar and Arenado to see what that could bring. Holding on to Donovan for the time being. If Bloom can come up with really productive hitter to add to what's already in place, the Cardinals could be very competitive in the Central division in '26. Adding Wetherholt to the lineup could be huge. Finding that additional key hitter, in addition to JJ, for '26, while still building for the future should be Bloom's objective before spring training. Bloom has already made some fine pitching acquisitions for the present and future..

[NYCardsFan]

#1- I hope they keep Donovan. I understand his trade value but unless he brings back a TOR Starter in a deal/package I keep him. And while he is good I don’t think he brings that return?
#2- JJ could bring a major lineup presence starting this season.
#3- Trade Noot and Arenado.
#4- Find a steady position for Herrera’s bat.

And the biggest key:
Make or break year for Walker and Gorman!
Whichever doesn’t emerge get rid of. They have some young promising Catchers, Baez, etc
Next offseason could the time to add a FA bat(s) after the smoke clears.

My hope, rightnow, is that Bloom is searching for the most productive bat he can find. A 3, 4 or 5 type hitter. By offering Romero, Nootbaar and Arenado to see what that could bring. Holding on to Donovan for the time being. If Bloom can come up with really productive hitter to add to what's already in place, the Cardinals could be very competitive in the Central division in '26.

Why would Bloom trade away arguably his most “productive hitter” and his best pitcher just so he could turn around and scramble to find their immediate replacements in order to “compete” in 2026?

[Mort Gage]

If so, the Cardinals could be pretty good in '26. Keys will be 1) finding a hitter to replace Contreras' production 2) Donovan still being in the lineup 3) the starting pitchers maintaining their health 4) how much Wetherholt will help the team 4) Walker's and Gorman's progress/production.

If Burleson is going to be the "next Joey Votto" he's like two or three Contrerases. Now if only the rest of the slugs on the team could pick it up the Cardinals absolutely could contend.

[Cusecards]

#1- I hope they keep Donovan. I understand his trade value but unless he brings back a TOR Starter in a deal/package I keep him. And while he is good I don’t think he brings that return?
#2- JJ could bring a major lineup presence starting this season.
#3- Trade Noot and Arenado.
#4- Find a steady position for Herrera’s bat.

And the biggest key:
Make or break year for Walker and Gorman!
Whichever doesn’t emerge get rid of. They have some young promising Catchers, Baez, etc
Next offseason could the time to add a FA bat(s) after the smoke clears.

My hope, rightnow, is that Bloom is searching for the most productive bat he can find. A 3, 4 or 5 type hitter. By offering Romero, Nootbaar and Arenado to see what that could bring. Holding on to Donovan for the time being. If Bloom can come up with really productive hitter to add to what's already in place, the Cardinals could be very competitive in the Central division in '26.

Why would Bloom trade away arguably his most “productive hitter” and his best pitcher just so he could turn around and scramble to find their immediate replacements in order to “compete” in 2026?

Depending on who is/isn’t dealt I could see a vet added to the OF mix on a one year deal(possibly adding in incentives?).
If they also unload more salary in Arenado and possibly Noot they can justify a one year FA deal but NOT( like you said) with the idea of contending but as a stopgap.
See what shakes out in 2026?
Look at FA market next offseason.

[Shady]

My point is, why not have a two-fold objective? Rebuild for the future while still trying to win the Central Division in '26. At least a wildcard. I really believe that is what's going on now with Bloom. Going into '26, adding Wetherholt to the lineup should be comparable to making a really good off season trade.

[NYCardsFan]

If so, the Cardinals could be pretty good in '26. Keys will be 1) finding a hitter to replace Contreras' production 2) Donovan still being in the lineup 3) the starting pitchers maintaining their health 4) how much Wetherholt will help the team 4) Walker's and Gorman's progress/production.

If Burleson is going to be the "next Joey Votto" he's like two or three Contrerases. Now if only the rest of the slugs on the team could pick it up the Cardinals absolutely could contend.

In his age-27 season, Votto posted 6.4/6.6 fWAR/bWAR, as compared to Burleson’s 2.1/1.9 in 2025.

That’s a whopping +4.3 to +4.7 potential win pickup Y/Y just from Shady’s forecasts/projections (finally) being proven correct. Surely, the super-scout who “sees things others don’t” is willing to belly up and commit to those numbers as a baseline expectation for 2026, and agree that anything less would be a disappointment relative to what he confidently promised. “Stay tuned.”

[scoutyjones2]

If so, the Cardinals could be pretty good in '26. Keys will be 1) finding a hitter to replace Contreras' production 2) Donovan still being in the lineup 3) the starting pitchers maintaining their health 4) how much Wetherholt will help the team 4) Walker's and Gorman's progress/production.

Shut up Bobo

[ecleme22]

If so, the Cardinals could be pretty good in '26. Keys will be 1) finding a hitter to replace Contreras' production 2) Donovan still being in the lineup 3) the starting pitchers maintaining their health 4) how much Wetherholt will help the team 4) Walker's and Gorman's progress/production.

Are you still writing OPs with the assumption Donovan is on the team?

Hopefully, considering the Cardinals '26 chances for success. Wetherholt leading off, Donovan batting 2nd, Burleson 3rd and Herrera 4th is appealing.

Well, you’re better off moving on. It’s a waste of time discussing the 2026 team as if BD is on it.

[NYCardsFan]

My point is, why not have a two-fold objective? Rebuild for the future while still trying to win the Central Division in '26. At least a wildcard. I really believe that is what's going on now with Bloom. Going into '26, adding Wetherholt to the lineup should be comparable to making a really good off season trade.

So your “point” is why not revert back to the old model that they followed for the last ten years? You know, the one they explicitly repudiated with the big press conference and wholesale organizational changes?

[Melville]

Bloom will add a RH bat.
As to whether said bat will prove capable of replacing Contreras in the lineup remains to be seen.