photo: JJ Wetherholt and Masyn Winn (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Three St. Louis Cardinals rank in the top three in the National League Gold Glove Award voting at their positions. Our history feature highlights memorable happenings this week in team annals.

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Three Cardinals receive Gold Glove nominations

Finalists for the 2026 National and American League Gold Glove Awards were announced on Wednesday, October 14. Each positional award begins with three finalists (top vote-getters) and concludes when the winners are announced several weeks later.

Michael McGreevy

Three St. Louis Cardinals players were named finalists for a NL Gold Glove Award at their position. The first finalist is RHP Michael McGreevy. Pitchers aren’t normally thought of when assessing defense, but they do play a position that requires some fielding prowess as well. McGreevy was very good in 2026 in the defense aspects of his position, recording +5 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), which is tied for the most among pitchers in MLB.

JJ Wetherholt

JJ Wetherholt was among the three finalists for the award at second base. Wetherholt led all second basemen and was second among players at all positions with +25 Outs Above Average (OOA). His competition includes the Brewers’ Brice Turang, who put up a stellar defensive campaign as well.

Masyn Winn

The third finalist is Masyn Winn, who was the winner of the 2025 Gold Glove at shortstop and eyes his second consecutive award. Winn, who was limited by injury in 2026, still put up numbers almost identical to his 2025 figures. Winn recorded +19 OAA, (+21 in 2025) which leads NL shortstops. He also leads all NL shortstops in Fielding Run Value (FRV) with +17.

All three Cardinal finalists have a better than average chance of winning their respective awards. We will learn the winners on Sunday, November 1 on ESPN.

The Big Picture

The Championship Series is winding down. The Milwaukee Brewers swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in four games, flipping the script from the 2025 NLCS, when the Dodgers did the same to the Brewers. The AL side of the World Series is still to be determined as of this writing.

The World Series will begin on October 23 and will conclude on or before October 31.

Ryne Stanek

After the World Series concludes, eligible players will officially become free agents. At that time, the Cardinals will have to decide about their one and only free agent, RHP Ryne Stanek. Stanek has a 2027 club option in his contract, and the team will decide whether to exercise that option during the five days following the end of the World Series. It seems likely that option will be declined.

Other offseason activities include the annual player awards in each league, the first of which is the NL and AL Gold Glove Awards. The finalists for that award have been announced for all positions, and the Cardinals have three finalists. They are RHP Michael McGreevy, 2B JJ Wetherholt, and SS Masyn Winn. Winn won the NL Gold Glove at shortstop in 2025. The winners will be announced on November 1.

The annual General Manager Meetings will take place during the week of November 10^th. This is the time in a normal offseason that discussions concerning offseason trades and signings first occur. This may change or be diminished due to the likely lockout on December 1.

Other offseason dates in November of interest are November 18 and November 21. On the 18^th, two things occur. The first is the deadline for players to accept or reject the Qualifying Offer. The QO can be made to players during the five-day window following the end of the World Series. Also on the 18^th, teams must add players to the 40-man roster that they wish to protect from the Rule 5 draft. This will take place regardless of whether the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft occurs in December.

November 21 is the tender deadline. On this date, teams must tender a contract to all pre-arbitration and arbitration eligible players. Any player who is not tendered a contract is released from the organization.

Andre Pallante

The Cardinals have nine arbitration eligible players – Andre Pallante, Nolan Gorman, Alec Burleson, Matthew Liberatore, Masyn Winn, Jordan Walker, Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages and Kyle Leahy. Their 2027 salaries will be determined at a later date.

Over the next few months, these and other activities will be chronicled in this space.

Stay tuned for what’s next in the offseason and beyond.

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.

Transactions

There are no transactions to report.

Injury Report

There are no new injuries to report.

Looking Ahead

The Championship Series is winding down. The NL team that will play in the World Series was determined when the Milwaukee Brewers swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in four games.

The AL team in the World Series is still to be determined as of this writing. The Tampa Bay Rays have a three games to two advantage over Cleveland Guardians with Game 6 scheduled Monday night, October 19.

The Championship Series will end on or before October 20.

The World Series begins on Friday, October 23 and runs through Saturday, October 31, if necessary.

At 9:00 am on the day following the end of the World Series, the offseason officially begins.

The winners of the Gold Glove awards will be announced on November 1 on ESPN. The Cardinals have three finalists, Michael McGreevy, JJ Wetherholt, and Masyn Winn.

Jordan Walker

The winners of the Hank Aaron Awards will be announced on November 11. Jordan Walker is the Cardinals’ nominee, given to the best offensive performer in each league.

Blast from the Past

The Postseason is nearing its final stage. The Wild Card Series, the Division Series and the NLCS are complete. The World Series will consist of NL representative Milwaukee Brewers and either the Tampa Bay Rays or the Cleveland Guardians. The 2026 World Series will be the first World Series appearance for the Brewers since they lost to the Cardinals in 1982 when the Brewers were in the American League.

The American League Championship Series will conclude on or before Tuesday, October 20. The World Series will be played beginning Friday, October 23 and will conclude on or before Saturday, October 31.

In this week’s Blast from the Past, we continue to chronicle postseason events that occurred in the history of the St. Louis Cardinals’ franchise, this time during the period of October 12 through October 18. These events are varied but of interest to fans.

The date and details of each event are noted.

October 12, 1967 – Cardinal ace Bob Gibson threw a three-hit complete game in Game 7 of the World Series against the Red Sox to give the Cardinals their eighth World Series title. The win ended Boston’s Impossible Dream, the Red Sox slogan for the season based on the musical “Man of La Mancha.”

October 12, 2012 – The Cardinals mounted a comeback from a 6-0 deficit in Game 5 of the NLDS against the Nationals. After starter Adam Wainwright gave up six runs in 2 1/3 innings, the team launched a comeback of epic proportions to win the game 9-7 and advance to the NLCS. The Cardinals scored four runs in the ninth inning thanks to a double by Carlos Beltran, two walks, and singles by Daniel Descalso and Pete Kozma against Nationals’ closer Drew Storen.

October 13, 1985 – On this date, the Cardinals played the Dodgers in Game 4 of the NLCS. The Cardinals routed the Dodgers 12-2 but did so without their speedy rookie Vince Coleman. Prior to the start of the game, Coleman was standing near the automated tarp at Busch Stadium doing warmup exercises. Due to the rainy conditions prior to the game, the tarp began unreeling and trapped Coleman’s leg. Though his teammates were able to lift the tarp and free him, Coleman suffered a broken ankle and was out for the remainer of the postseason.

October 15, 1964 – The Cardinals defeated the Yankees in Game 7 of the World Series at Sportsman’s Park. This was the Cardinals’ seventh World Series title. The win crowned the Cardinals as the first team with a losing record at the All-Star break to go on to win the World Series. Bob Gibson was elected MVP of the Series, having struck out 31 batters in 27 innings pitched in three starts.

October 15, 1982 – In Game 3 of the World Series against the Brewers, Willie McGee hit two home runs to become the third rookie to do so in a single game in World Series history. He joined Charlie Keller (Yankees, 1939) and Tony Kubek (Yankees 1957) in that feat.

October 16, 1985 – The Cardinals won the NLCS over the Dodgers in Game 6 due to a ninth inning, three-run home run by Jack Clark. The Cardinals were down 5-4 entering the inning at Dodger Stadium. Following a single by Willie McGee and a walk to Ozzie Smith, Clark blasted a round tripper off the Dodgers’ Tom Niedenfuer. The Cardinals’ Ken Dayley retired all three Dodgers hitters in the bottom of the ninth to send the Cardinals to the World Series against the Kansas City Royals.

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2026 Peoria Chiefs Starting Pitcher of the Year

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photo: Brian Curley (Hillsboro Hops)

The St. Louis Cardinals held their end of season press conference and added another pitching prospect to the organization. The club is preparing for nine players eligible for arbitration. Our history feature highlights memorable happenings this week in team annals.

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Cardinals receive final player in Nootbaar trade

On Thursday, October 1, the Cardinals announced they have received the final player (player to be named later) in the August 3 trade of Lars Nootbaar to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Brian Curley

RHP Brian Curley, 23, played for the Diamondbacks Double-A affiliate Amarillo Sod Poodles. He was drafted by Arizona in the third round in 2025. Curley began his professional career in 2026 at the Complex League level with the ACL Diamondbacks in April. He was promoted to the Sod Poodles on July 27.

Ironically, Curley started Game 2 of the Texas League Championship Series against the Cardinals’ Double-A affiliate Springfield. The Cardinals lost that game and the Championship Series in Game 3. Curley was the winning pitcher of Game 2.

Curley was ranked by Baseball America as Arizona’s #19 prospect. Curley has not yet been assigned to a team for 2027, but a Double-A assignment seems most likely.

Cardinals Complete Nootbaar Trade

The Big Picture

The Cardinals held their end of season press conference on Monday, September 28. President of Baseball Operations’ Chaim Bloom responded to questions from the media.

No major announcements were made as Bloom reiterated the team’s plans to not take shortcuts on the way to return to contention. The addition of several veteran players is possible for 2027, but the primary message was to continue to help their young players improve.

There will be little to no activity by the team while the postseason is underway. The only occurrence of note were transactions made recalling all 40-man roster players who were either assigned to the Memphis Redbirds or ended the season on the 10-day or 15-day injured list. Only one player, Max Rajcic, who is currently on the 60-day injured list, was not recalled. Rajcic will be added back onto the roster after the playoffs and will use the remaining 40-man roster opening.

Max Rajcic

After the World Series concludes, any eligible free agent will officially become a free agent. The Cardinals have only one player in this category, RHP Ryne Stanek. Stanek was signed to a one-year contract with a club option for 2027. It is unlikely that option will be exercised. The team has five days from the end of the World Series to make that decision.

Ryne Stanek

Due to the impending lockout that will likely occur on December 1, 2026, the month of November is the only time following the postseason that normal major league activities could occur.  The first week following the World Series other important dates loom, such as the deadline for making a Qualifying Offer to eligible free agents.

Other offseason activities include the annual player awards in each league, the first of which is usually the NL and AL Gold Glove Awards. The remainder of the awards will follow over the next couple of weeks.

The General Manager Meetings will occur during the week of November 10^th. Reserve Lists must be filed on November 18. This is when Max Rajcic will have to be added back to the roster.

November 21 is the tender deadline, when teams tender contracts to their pre-arb and arbitration eligible players. Each season there are usually at least one or more players who are non-tendered due to their projected salaries via arbitration being higher than their expected 2027 value to the team. Possible non-tender candidates by the Cardinals include Nolan Gorman and Pedro Pagés.

Nolan Gorman

Over the next couple of months, these and other activities will be chronicled in this space.

Stay tuned for what’s next in the offseason and beyond.

Arbitration estimates

MLB Trade Rumors released their annual prediction of salaries that arbitration-eligible players could receive for 2027. The Cardinals have a higher-than-average total of nine applicable players of the 196 across MLB.

Alec Burleson

They range from Pedro Pages at $1.3 million to Alec Burleson at $8.3 million. Others include Andre Pallante, Nolan Gorman, Matthew Liberatore, Masyn Winn, Jordan Walker, Ivan Herrera and Kyle Leahy.

The estimates for the nine total $40.8 million, so this group of players of between just under three years and six years of MLB service time will be an important part of settling the team’s 2027 plans.

Details at MLBTR.

Final NL Central Standings

Team	W	L	Pct	GB	WCGB
Milwaukee	103	59	0.636
Chicago	89	73	0.549	14
Pittsburgh	82	80	0.506	21	6
St. Louis	77	85	0.475	26	11
Cincinnati	75	87	0.463	28	13

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.

Transactions

On 9/28, the Cardinals recalled all 40-man roster players who were assigned to the minor leagues. This is a business-as-usual activity for the off-season. They are all from Memphis:

• RHP Tekoah Roby
• RHP Matt Svanson
• RHP Ryan Fernandez
• LHP Cooper Hjerpe
• RHP Richard Fitts
• C Jimmy Crooks

Injured St. Louis players were also “activated” on 9/28:

• RF Everson Pereira from the 10-day injured list
• LF Joshua Báez from the 10-day injured list
• 3B Blaze Jordan from the 10-day injured list
• RHP Hunter Dobbins from the 15-day injured list

9/28 The Cardinals claimed RHP Chase Hampton off waivers from the Washington Nationals.

Chase Hampton

Injury Report

• OF Joshua Báez (left oblique strain) was activated from the 10-day injured list.
• 3B Blaze Jordan (high left ankle sprain) was activated from the 10-day injured list.
• OF Everson Pereira (left hand contusion) was activated from the 10-day injured list
• RHP Hunter Dobbins (right flexor strain) was activated from the 15-day injured list.
• RHP Max Rajcic had right UCL reconstruction surgery (Tommy John) on July 23. Rajcic will likely miss the entire 2027 season.
• Cardinals playing through minor injuries as the season ended include Masyn Winn (left thumb), JJ Wetherholt (right wrist) and Jordan Walker (hip).

Looking Ahead

The Wild Card Series ended with eight teams advancing to the Division Series, which is currently underway. They are the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago White Sox, and Cleveland Guardians.

Following the Wild Card Series, the Division Series begins on Saturday, October 3 and concludes in both leagues on or before October 10.

The Championship Series will begin on Sunday, October 11 and will run through Tuesday, October 20 if necessary.

The World Series begins on Friday, October 23 and runs through Saturday, October 31, if necessary.

At 9:00 am on the day following the end of the World Series, all eligible free agents officially declare free agency. Ryne Stanek is the only Cardinals free agent. He has a club option for 2027 which will likely be declined. This decision must be made by the fifth day following the World Series.

Blast from the Past

This week’s Blast from the Past will highlight notable events that occurred in franchise history during a relevant period. The final week of the regular season ended a week ago Sunday, and the postseason began last Tuesday. This time of year brings events such as records being set or broken, roster changes to get ready for the offseason, and other notable events.

In this installment, we look at events that occurred during the period September 28 through October 4 in St. Louis Cardinals’ franchise history. For each event, its date, individual(s) involved, a description of the event, and any other relevant details are provided.

September 28, 1924 – Cardinals’ second baseman Rogers Hornsby finished the season with a whopping .424 batting average to win the National League batting title.

September 28, 1979 – Cardinals’ switch-hitting shortstop Garry Templeton had three hits total in both games of a doubleheader against the New York Mets on this date to become the first player to collect 100 hits from both sides of the plate. Templeton had a total of 211 hits, which led the National League.

September 29, 1963 – Stan Musial played his final game as a Cardinal. He had two hits in this 3-2 win over the Reds at Busch Stadium. Musial retired with 3,680 hits, 1,815 at home and 1,815 on the road.

September 29, 1965 – Cardinal pitcher Bob Gibson hit his first career grand slam in a 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park.

September 30, 2005 – Albert Pujols blasted his 40^th home run, a grand slam, in a 12-6 rout of the Reds at Busch Stadium. This 40^th round-tripper made Pujols the first Cardinal in the history of the franchise to hit 40 home runs in three consecutive seasons.

October 1, 2009 – With a 13-0 rout of the Reds, manager Tony La Russa moved into second place for the most games managed in major league history. La Russa’s 4,770 games trails only Connie Mack, with 7,755.

October 3, 2007 – The Cardinals announced that Senior Vice President and General Manager Walt Jocketty was fired and replaced on an interim basis by Assistant GM John Mozeliak. Mozeliak became the GM officially on October 31, 2007, and served until his final contract expired at the end of the 2025 season.

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2026 Cardinals Minor League Leaders – Pitching Rate Stats

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photo: Alec Burleson (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

In the final week of the season, the St. Louis Cardinals offense scored just 16 runs while going 1-5. The club finished eight games under .500, 26 games out of first place. Alec Burleson led MLB with 116 RBI. Our history feature highlights memorable happenings this week in team annals.

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Game Recaps

Monday, September 21, 2026 – Off day

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 – Cardinals 0 at Pirates 2

The St. Louis Cardinals were blanked by the Pirates by a 2-0 score in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Starter Andre Pallante pitched six innings, gave up one run on three hits, walked two and struck out two. Pallante took the tough loss.

Andre Pallante

Justin Bruihl surrendered one run while securing two outs in the seventh. Cade Winquest tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

The Cardinals managed only one hit, a double by Nathan Church. The offense struck out 14 times and drew two walks.

Leo Bernal was charged with catcher interference.

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 – Cardinals 5 at Pirates 1

The Cardinals defeated the Pirates by the score of 5-1 on Wednesday.

Starter Matthew Liberatore pitched 5 2/3 innings, gave up one run on six hits and fanned six to earn his sixth win.

Matthew Liberatore

Luis Gastelum, Ryne Stanek and George Soriano closed out the final 3 1/3 innings in scoreless fashion.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

The Cardinals answered with three runs in the third. JJ Wetherholt singled. Iván Herrera walked. Alec Burleson singled to score Wetherholt. Herrera came home on a wild pitch. Leo Bernal singled to plate Burleson.

St. Louis added two runs in the fourth to lead 5-1. José Fermín singled. Masyn Winn doubled and Fermín scored. Wetherholt drove in Winn on a single.

The Cardinals scored five runs on 10 hits. Wetherholt was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Fermín was 2-for-4.

Jordan Walker stole his 21^st base. Victor Scott swiped his 12^th bag. Winn was caught stealing.

Thursday, September 24, 2026 – Cardinals 1 at Pirates 2

The Cardinals were edged by the Pirates by a 2-1 score on Thursday to drop the road series two games to one.

Starter Kyle Leahy pitched two innings, gave up one run on three hits and struck out three.

Cooper Hjerpe

Cooper Hjerpe relieved Leahy and threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Gordon Graceffo hurled 2/3 of a scoreless inning. Brycen Mautz tossed a scoreless seventh. Ryne Stanek yielded one unearned run in the eighth and took the loss.

The Cardinals took the lead in the top of the first inning on a solo home run by Alec Burleson. The Pirates answered in the home first with a run to tie the game.

Pittsburgh took the lead 2-1 in the eighth.

The Cardinals scored one run on five hits. JJ Wetherholt was 2-for-4.

Catcher Iván Herrera made two errors, a throwing error and a dropped foul ball.

Friday, September 25, 2026 – Cardinals 4 at Brewers 8

The Cardinals fell to the Brewers in the first game of the final series of the season in Milwaukee.

Starter Michael McGreevy pitched 4 2/3 innings, gave up four runs on nine hits, walked two and struck out two.

Brycen Mautz relieved McGreevy and threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Luis Gastelum surrendered one run in the seventh and took the loss.  Justin Bruihl relinquished three runs, one earned, without recording an out. Cade Winquest finished the eighth in scoreless fashion.

The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Cardinals tied the game in the top of the fourth on a solo home run by Iván Herrera.

Milwaukee responded with a run in the home fourth and added two runs in the fifth to increase the lead to 4-1.

In the seventh, St. Louis scored three runs to tie the game. Jordan Walker hit his 29^th home run of the season, a solo shot. Leo Bernal singled and Alec Burleson followed with a two-run home run.

Alec Burleson

The Brewers put up four runs in the eighth to go ahead 8-4.

The Cardinals scored four runs on six hits. Bernal was 2-for-4. Burleson had two RBI.

Bruihl and Winquest each made a throwing error.

Saturday, September 26, 2026 – Cardinals 2 at Brewers 3

The Cardinals were topped by the Brewers by a 3-2 score on Saturday.

Starter Quinn Mathews pitched five innings, gave up three runs on five hits, walked two and fanned seven. Mathews took the loss.

Gordon Graceffo relieved Mathews and threw two scoreless innings. Cade Winquest tossed a scoreless eighth.

The Cardinals went up 1-0 in the second inning. Jordan Walker singled and stole second base. Nolan Gorman walked. Thomas Saggese singled to score Walker.

St. Louis added a run in the top of the third on a solo home run by Alec Burleson.

The Brewers answered with a run in the home third and put up two runs in the fifth to take the lead 3-2.

The Cardinals scored two runs on three hits. The home run by Burleson was the only extra base hit.

Walker stole his 22^nd base of the season.

Leo Bernal made a throwing error.

Sunday, September 27, 2026 – Cardinals 4 at Brewers 6

The Cardinals were swept by the Brewers, losing 6-4 on Sunday in Milwaukee.

Starter Andre Pallante pitched five innings, gave up six runs on 10 hits, walked one and fanned four. Pallante took the loss, his ninth of the season.

Justin Bruihl relieved Pallante and threw two scoreless innings. Hancel Rincon tossed a scoreless ninth.

The Brewers went up 3-0 in the first inning, added two in the third and one in the fourth to extend the lead to 6-0.

The Cardinals got on the board in the eighth with four runs. César Prieto tripled. Pedro Pagés walked. Jordan Walker grounded into a force out. Prieto scored, and Pagés was out at second. Iván Herrera walked. Leo Bernal followed with a three-run home run.

Leonardo Bernal

The Cardinals scored four runs on four hits. Bernal had three RBI. The offense was 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left four men on base.

The Big Picture

The Cardinals’ season has concluded. They finished the final week 1-5 after winning one game in Pittsburgh. They were swept in Milwaukee by the division-winning Brewers in the final series of the season.

The team finished 77-85 and in fourth place in the NL Central Division, 26 games back of the Brewers, and two games better than the last place Reds.

The story of the second half of the season will be talked about for a while. Pitching, specifically relief pitching, was a weakness all season. The offense markedly declined and is the most likely reason for the slide in the standings. The offense in the last few weeks in particular was almost non-existent.

The top offensive performers in the final week by OPS are César Prieto (1.000 in 4 ABs), and Pedro Pagés (.933 in three ABs).

As you can see, most of the regulars in the lineup were not performing as evidenced by their meager 16 runs scored in six games. The next closest in OPS was Alec Burleson (.895). Eight players performed below .500 in OPS. They are Masyn Winn (.468), Jordan Walker (.447), Iván Herrera (.427), Nolan Gorman (.425), Thomas Saggese (.347), José Fermín (.334), Nathan Church (.278), and Bryan Torres (.222).

One bright spot in all this is Burleson, who finished the season leading all of MLB in RBI with 116. He did not play in the final game and neither did JJ Wetherholt. Masyn Winn was out with a thumb injury. Perhaps Burleson is in line to win another NL Silver Slugger award.  Unfortunately for them, that could be the only award a Cardinal player may receive, as JJ Wetherholt’s chances at the Rookie of the Year have diminished given his recent injury and drop in performance.

As for the pitching, the rotation fumbled in the final week. Only Matthew Liberatore finished the week with an ERA below 4.00.  Looking at it overall, however, the rotation was decent for the most part throughout the season. Quinn Mathews has made a good showing and made an impression. How the rotation will shake out next season (if there is one), remains to be seen.

The bullpen is the area that needs to be overhauled. Several homegrown pitchers, Luis Gastelum and Gordon Graceffo to name two, were the least of the bullpen’s problems. Those who were the problem will hopefully not be returning in 2027.

The postseason begins this week without the Cardinals participating for the fourth consecutive season. The Cardinals will hold an end of season press conference on Monday, September 28 at 3 pm to discuss the season and what is next.

Stay tuned for the offseason and beyond.

Final NL Central Standings

Team	W	L	Pct	GB	WCGB
Milwaukee	103	59	0.636
Chicago	89	73	0.549	14
Pittsburgh	82	80	0.506	21	6
St. Louis	77	85	0.475	26	11
Cincinnati	75	87	0.463	28	13

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.

Transactions

• 9/25 The Cardinals optioned LHP Cooper Hjerpe to the Memphis Redbirds.
• 9/25 The Cardinals recalled RHP Hancel Rincon from the Memphis Redbirds.

Injury Report

• SS Masyn Winn was scratched from Saturday’s game in Milwaukee. Winn suffered a fractured left thumb in August and has since returned to play. Winn had discomfort in the thumb, and the decision was made to end his season.
• OF Joshua Báez was placed on the 10-day injured list on September 18, retroactive to September 17 with a left oblique strain. Báez did not return in the 2026 season.
• 3B Blaze Jordan was placed on the 10-day injured list on August 28. Left ankle sprain. Jordan did not return during 2026 season.
• OF Everson Pereira (left hand contusion). Pereira was on a rehab assignment with the Memphis Redbirds. Pereira’s status is unknown following the end of the Redbirds’ season.
• RHP Hunter Dobbins (right flexor strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list on August 22. Dobbins underwent right elbow reconstruction surgery and will be out of commission for a minimum of 12 months.
• RHP Max Rajcic had right UCL reconstruction surgery (Tommy John) on July 23, 2026. Rajcic will likely miss the entire 2027 season.

Looking Ahead

The Cardinals’ season has concluded. The Cardinals will have an end of season press conference on Monday, September 28 at 3 pm.

The postseason begins on September 29 with the first games of the Wild Card Series. This series concludes on October 1.

Following the Wild Card Series, the Division Series begins on Saturday, October 3 and concludes in both leagues on or before October 10.

The Championship Series will begin on Sunday, October 11 and will run through Tuesday, October 20 if necessary.

The World Series begins on Friday, October 23 and runs through Saturday, October 31, if necessary.

Further playoff details at The Cardinal Nation’s free forum.

Blast from the Past

This week’s Blast from the Past continues the series highlighting notable events in the history of the franchise for a relevant period. The final week of the regular season ended on Sunday, and the postseason will begin on Tuesday. This time of year brings events such as records being set or broken, roster changes to get ready for the offseason, and other notable events.

In this installment, we look at events that occurred during the period September 21 through September 27. For each event, its date, individual(s) involved, a description of the event, and any other relevant details are provided

September 21, 1934 – Cardinal rookie pitcher Paul Dean, aka “Daffy”, became the fifth rookie to throw a no-hitter. The 3-0 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers occurred in the second game of a doubleheader. Paul Dean’s brother, Jay Hanna “Dizzy” Dean, threw a three-hit shutout in the first game of the twin bill.

September 22, 1948 –Stan Musial went 5-for-5 in an 8-2 win over the Boston Braves at Braves Field. This was the fourth time that season Musial had five hits in five at bats, which set a National League record and tied Ty Cobb for the MLB record.

September 23, 1930 – The Cardinals slugged 26 hits in a 19-16 win over the Phillies at the Baker Bowl. This set the franchise record. The Cardinals did not have this many hits in a game again until August 22, 2008, when the Cardinals had 26 hits in an 18-3 game against the Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium III.

September 23, 2022 – Against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, Albert Pujols, in the final year of his MLB career, hit his 700^th home run. This made Pujols only the fourth player in MLB history to reach 700 home runs in a career. Pujols hit a second home run in the same game.

September 24, 1922 –Cardinal 2B Rogers Hornsby hit two home runs in a 10-6 win over the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds. The two home runs brought his season total to 42, a new National League record.

September 26, 2007 – Pujols drove in his 100^th run to become the first and only player with 30 home runs and 100 RBI in each of his first seven seasons in the major leagues. This game was a 7-3 win over the Brewers at Miller Park.

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Closeout at 20% off – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its ninth year. It includes 275 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including over five dozen all-new player scouting reports by Kyle Reis. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book today.

The final copies of the printed book are on closeout for 20% off.

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Memphis Redbirds Notebook – 2026 Playoffs

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Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Follow Marilyn Green on Bluesky @mrlyn59.bsky.social.

© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

photo: Quinn Mathews (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

In the second to last week of the 2026 season, the St. Louis Cardinals lost both home series to the Giants and Nationals. Rookie Quinn Mathews posted a 2.63 ERA in two starts. Our history feature highlights memorable happenings this week in team annals.

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Game Recaps

Monday, September 14, 2026 – Cardinals 2, Giants 1

The St. Louis Cardinals edged the San Francisco Giants by the score of 2-1 on Monday at Busch Stadium.

Starter Quinn Mathews pitched 6 2/3 innings, gave up one run on four hits, walked two and fanned eight to earn his second MLB win.

Quinn Mathews

Justin Bruihl relieved Mathews and finished the seventh cleanly. Ryne Stanek hurled a scoreless eighth. Riley O’Brien tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his 37^th save.

The Cardinals went up 2-0 in the fifth inning. Thomas Saggese singled and stole second. Iván Herrera walked. Alec Burleson singled to score Saggese. Jordan Walker drew a walk. Leo Bernal drove in Herrera on a single.

The Giants scored their only run in the sixth to reach the final score of 2-1.

The Cardinals scored two runs on eight hits. Bernal was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Burleson was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Saggese was 2-for-4.

Saggese stole his fourth base.

Tuesday, September 15, 2026 – Cardinals 3, Giants 10

The Cardinals were pounded by the Giants in a 10-3 loss on Tuesday.

Starter Andre Pallante pitched five innings, gave up eight runs, six earned, on eight hits, walked two and struck out two. Pallante took the loss, his seventh.

Brycen Mautz relieved Pallante and surrendered one run in 2 1/3 innings. Cade Winquest yielded one run in 1 2/3 innings.

The Giants went ahead 3-0 in the top of the first inning. The Cardinals answered with a run in the home first on a solo home run by Alec Burleson.

San Francisco added four runs in the top of the third increase the lead to 7-1.

St. Louis responded with a run in the bottom of the inning to shrink the lead to 7-2. Masyn Winn singled. José Fermín was hit by a pitch. Bryan Torres walked to load the bases. Winn came home on a sac fly by Iván Herrera.

The Giants made it 8-2 in the fourth.

In the top of the eighth, the Giants extended the lead to 9-2. The Cardinals added a run in the bottom frame to make it 9-3. Fermín doubled and scored on a single by Nolan Gorman.

San Francisco topped their lead with a final run in the ninth to win 10-3.

The Cardinals scored three runs on five hits. No Cardinal had multiple hits.

Winn made a fielding error. Bernal was charged with catcher interference.

Wednesday, September 16, 2026 – Cardinals 5, Giants 6 (10 innings)

The Cardinals were edged by the Giants in the final game of the series on Wednesday as the visitors took the set two games to one.

Starter Matthew Liberatore pitched six innings, gave up one run on six hits, walked three and struck out two.

Matthew Liberatore

Luis Gastelum relieved Liberatore and surrendered two runs, one earned, in the seventh. Justin Bruihl yielded one unearned run in 2/3 of an innings. Gordon Graceffo threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Riley O’Brien relinquished two runs, one earned, in the 10^th and took the loss.

The Giants took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. In the top of the seventh, they added two more runs to lead 3 -0.

The Cardinals got on the board in the home seventh with two runs without the benefit of a hit to cut the lead to 3-2. Jordan Walker drew a walk. Thomas Saggese reached on an error. Nathan Church reached on an error and Walker scored. Pedro Pagés walked. Saggese came home on a wild pitch.

San Francisco increased the lead to 4-2 in the eighth.

St. Louis tied the game with a two run ninth. Nolan Gorman walked. Saggese singled. Iván Herrera walked. Gorman scored on a sac fly by José Fermín.

In the top of the 10^th, the Giants regained the lead 6-4. The Cardinals managed only one run in the home 10^th for the final score of 6-5. Alec Burleson was the tiebreaker runner. Bryan Torres walked. Gorman walked to load the bases. Burleson scored on a sac fly by Saggese.

The Cardinals scored five runs on five hits. Nathan Church was 2-for-5.

Walker stole his 20^th base.

Walker made a throwing error. Church had a fielding miscue.

Thursday, September 17, 2026 – Off day

Friday, September 18, 2026 – Cardinals 1, Nationals 9

The Cardinals were beaten up by the Nationals in the first game of the weekend series at Busch Stadium.

Starter Kyle Leahy pitched three innings, gave up seven runs, six earned, on five hits, walked three and struck out one. Leahy took the loss.

Cooper Hjerpe relieved Leahy and surrendered two runs in four innings. Cade Winquest tossed the final two scoreless innings.

The Nationals went up 3-0 in the first inning. They added four runs in the third, one run in the fourth, and one run in the sixth to lead 9-0.

The Cardinals finally got on the board with a run in the eighth to stave off a shutout. Nathan Church doubled and later scored on a ground out by Iván Herrera.

The Cardinals scored the one run on seven hits. Leo Bernal was 3-for-4.

Bernal made a throwing error. Jordan Walker and Bryan Torres each had a fielding miscue

Saturday, September 19, 2026 – Cardinals 5, Nationals 8 (11 innings)

The Cardinals lost to the Nationals in the second game of the series by the score of 8-5 in the second extra inning defeat of the week.

Starter Michael McGreevy pitched just four innings, gave up two runs on five hits, walked one and struck out one.

Justin Bruihl relieved McGreevy and surrendered one run in 1 1/3 innings. Luis Gastelum threw 1/3 of a scoreless inning. Brycen Mautz hurled 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Ryne Stanek pitched 2/3 of scoreless innings. George Soriano threw a scoreless inning. Riley O’Brien gave up an unearned run in the 10th. Gordon Graceffo relinquished four runs, two earned, in the 11^th and took the loss.

The Nationals went up 2-0 in the first inning. They added a run in the sixth to lead 3-0.

The Cardinals put up two runs in the seventh to cut the lead to 3-2. Winn reached on an error. Pedro Pagés singled to score Winn. José Fermín drove in Pagés on a single.

St. Louis tied the game in the ninth. Nathan Church doubled and scored on a single by Pagés.

Pedro Pagés

Washington plated the tiebreaker runner in the top of the 10^th.

The Cardinals pushed a run across in the home 10^th to tie the game a second time. Leo Bernal was the tiebreaker runner. Masyn Winn plated Bernal on a single.

The Nationals posted a four-run top of the 11^th to surge ahead 8-4. The Cardinals answered with one run to bring the final score to 8-5. Church was the tiebreaker runner, and he scored on a single by JJ Wetherholt.

The Cardinals scored five runs on 14 hits. Fermín was 3-for-5 with an RBI. Pagés was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Iván Herrera was 3-for-5. Church was 2-for-5 with two runs scored.

Winn made a throwing error. Bernal was charged with catcher interference.

Sunday, September 20, 2026 – Cardinals 5, Nationals 3

The Cardinals prevailed in the final game of the series with the Nationals to avoid the sweep and end their home season on a high note.

Starter Quinn Mathews pitched seven innings, gave up three runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out three.

Quinn Mathews

Luis Gastelum relieved Mathews and threw a scoreless eighth for his fifth win. Riley O’Brien tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his 38^th save.

The Cardinals took the lead on a first inning solo home run by Iván Herrera. The Nationals tied the game in the top of the second.

St. Louis took back the lead with a run in the third to make it 2-1. José Fermín doubled and scored on a single by JJ Wetherholt.

Washington went back on top with a two run sixth to go ahead 3-2.

The Cardinals surged to a 5-3 win with a three-run eighth on a solo home run by Herrera and a two-run blast by Leo Bernal.

Leonardo Bernal

The offense scored five runs on six hits. Herrera was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Fermín was 2-for-3. Bernal had two RBI.

Jordan Walker had and outfield assist at third base.

The Big Picture

The Cardinals logged a 2-4 week, losing both series with the Giants and Nationals. The two wins were the culmination of a week of low scoring and extra inning failures.

The team remains in fourth place and were officially eliminated from a playoff spot during the week. They are 21.5 games back of the Brewers, three games behind the Pirates, and four games ahead of the last place Reds. The Cardinals play the Brewers and the Pirates in the final week of the season ahead.

The first half of promise turned into a second half of disappointment. What went wrong is likely multi-faceted but essentially may be simply a lack of stamina for a full season. This is a young team and the experience that comes with playing over many years teaches players how to prepare properly for a long season. The final assessment will tell us more perhaps.

José Fermín

The offense had its ups and downs but more downs in these last few weeks. The offense just could not put it together recently. The top offensive performers for the week by OPS are José Fermín (1.298) and Iván Herrera (1.131). The next closest was Leo Bernal (.870).

Iván Herrera

At the bottom were Thomas Saggese (.405), Masyn Winn (.398), Jordan Walker (.335), and Bryan Torres (.167).

The starting pitching had some struggles over the week. Andre Pallante, who recently returned from an IL stint, did not pitch well in his start, going five innings with an ERA of 10.80. Kyle Leahy was even worse, throwing three innings with an ERA of 18.00. Leahy has been limited to a pitch count for several weeks. Whether his struggles are a result of the pitch count or evidence of the reasons for said pitch count is unknown. Matthew Liberatore and Quinn Mathews pitched well. Michael McGreevy’s performance has suffered in the second half of the season but that doesn’t appear to be a concern.

The bullpen is the same as it ever was. It is this aspect of the team that needs rethinking and retooling the most before the next season begins.

The roster as a whole is slowly being reduced to its likely core. Ramón Urías was recently released. New bullpen addition Peter Strzelecki was outrighted and has elected free agency. Another late season addition, Everson Pereira, is on a rehab assignment and may end up with the same fate as Strzelecki.

Several others are out for the season with injuries, including Hunter Dobbins and Max Rajcic, who are both likely to miss the entire 2027 season. Blaze Jordan will heal up over the offseason and be back for spring training, whenever that may be. Joshua Báez is the victim of no time left as well.

The final week of the regular season will be played on the road against two NL Central rivals, the Pirates and the Brewers.

St. Louis would have to go 5-1 just to salvage a .500 record for the season. Another 2-4 week would put the Cardinals at 78-84, which would be identical to their 2025 result.

Stay tuned as what is left of the season progresses.

NL Central Standings

Team	W	L	Pct	GB	WCGB
Milwaukee	98	58	0.628
Chicago	87	69	0.558	11
Pittsburgh	79	77	0.506	19	7
St. Louis	76	80	0.487	22	10
Cincinnati	72	84	0.462	26	14

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.

Transactions

• 9/16 The Cardinals activated 2B JJ Wetherholt from the 10-day injured list.
• 9/16 The Cardinals activated RHP Peter Strzelecki from the 15-day injured list and designated him for assignment.
• 9/16 The Cardinals designated 3B Ramón Urías for assignment.
• 9/17 The Cardinals sent OF Everson Pereira on a rehab assignment to the Memphis Redbirds.
• 9/18 The Cardinals recalled 3B César Prieto from the Memphis Redbirds.
• 9/18 The Cardinals sent RHP Peter Strzelecki outright to the Memphis Redbirds.
• 9/18 The Cardinals released 3B Ramón Urías.
• 9/19 RHP Peter Strzelecki elected free agency.

Injury Report

• OF Joshua Báez was placed on the 10-day injured list on September 18, retroactive to September 17 with a left oblique strain. Báez will not return in 2026.
• 2B JJ Wetherholt was activated from the 10-day injured list.
• 3B Blaze Jordan was placed on the 10-day injured list on August 28. Left ankle sprain. Jordan will not return during 2026 season. He has been doing field work, but the team was not comfortable with pushing him to full game speed.
• OF Everson Pereira (left hand contusion) is currently on a rehab assignment with the Memphis Redbirds.
• RHP Hunter Dobbins (right flexor strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list on August 22. Dobbins underwent right elbow reconstruction surgery and will be out of commission for a minimum of 12 months.
• RHP Max Rajcic had right UCL reconstruction surgery (Tommy John) on July 23. Rajcic will likely miss all of the 2027 season.

Looking Ahead

The regular season concludes with the final road trip of three games each in Pittsburgh and Milwaukee. The Pirates series begins on Tuesday, September 22. Andre Pallante is scheduled to make the Tuesday start, followed by Matthew Liberatore on Wednesday, and Kyle Leahy on Thursday.

The final series of the season begins on Friday, September 25 and ends on Sunday, September 27 in Milwaukee. No pitchers have been scheduled yet but will likely be Michael McGreevy, Quinn Mathews, and Andre Pallante.

The Cardinals will have an end of season press conference following the end of the regular season at a date and time to be determined.

The postseason begins on September 29 with the first games of the Wild Card Series. This series concludes on October 1.

Following the Wild Card Series, the Division Series begins on Saturday, October 3 and concludes in both leagues on or before October 10.

Blast from the Past

This week’s Blast from the Past continues with the series highlighting notable events during the history of the St. Louis Cardinals franchise for a relevant period. The final week of the regular season is upon us, and the post season will begin soon. This time of year brings events such as records being set or broken, roster changes to get ready for the offseason, and other notable events.

In this installment, we look at events that occurred during the period September 14 through 20. For each event, its date, individual(s) involved, a description of the event, and any other relevant details are provided.

September 14, 1941 – In a 6-5 win over the New York Giants at Sportsman’s Park, right-handed reliever Howie Krist earned the win and ended the season with a perfect 10-0 record. This perfect record establishes the NL record for most wins in a season without a defeat.

September 14, 2022 – Batterymates Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina broke the MLB record for most starts together with their 325^th start as pitcher and catcher. The previous record was held by Bill Freehan and Mickey Lolich.

September 15, 1995 –SS Ozzie Smith participated in his 1,554^th double play which was a new major league record for twin killings by a shortstop. Smith ended his major league career with 1,590 double plays turned.

September 16, 1966 –RHP Bob Gibson earned his 20^th victory of the season and became the first pitcher in more than 40 years to have consecutive 20 or more win seasons. Gibson notched five 20 or more win seasons over his career, adding three more in 1968, 1969 and 1970.

September 17, 1941 –Stan Musial made his major league debut in the second game of a doubleheader against the Boston Braves. Musial started in right field, batting third. He went 2-for-4 with two RBI. His two hits were a double and a single.

September 18, 2023 – RHP Adam Wainwright reached a career milestone with his 200^th career win in a 1-0 win over the Brewers at Busch Stadium. Wainwright pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing four hits, walking two and striking out three.

September 18, 2013 – Yadier Molina broke the single season Cardinals’ franchise record for doubles with 41, breaking the franchise record set by Ted Simmons in 1978.

September 19, 2001 – Albert Pujols broke the rookie single season RBI record with his 120^th RBI in an 8-2 win over the Brewers at Busch Stadium. The previous record was 119 by Wally Berger of the Boston Braves in 1930. Pujols ended his 2001 season with 130 RBI.

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Closeout at 20% off – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its ninth year. It includes 275 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including over five dozen all-new player scouting reports by Kyle Reis. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book today.

The final copies of the printed book are on closeout for 20% off.

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

---

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Memphis Redbirds Notebook – 2026 Week 25

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Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Follow Marilyn Green on Bluesky @mrlyn59.bsky.social.

© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

photo: Quinn Mathews (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The injury bug has hold of the St. Louis Cardinals, losers of four of six last week. Quinn Mathews’ fourth MLB start was his best yet, with 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball and seven strikeouts vs. Pittsburgh. Our history feature recaps past results between the Cardinals and Orioles.

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Game Recaps

Monday, August 24, 2026 – Off day

Tuesday, August 25, 2026 – Cardinals 1, Orioles 13

On Tuesday, the St. Louis Cardinals were routed by the Orioles 13-1 at Busch Stadium in the first of a three-game series.

Starter Matthew Liberatore pitched four innings, gave up eight runs on eight hits, walked one and fanned seven. Liberatore took the loss, his 12^th of the season.

Peter Strzelecki relieved Liberatore and surrendered four runs in 1/3 of an inning. Caleb Ferguson yielded one run in 1 2/3 innings. Ryan Fernandez threw two scoreless innings. Catcher Pedro Pagés tossed a scoreless ninth.

The Orioles went up 4-0 in the top of the third inning. The Cardinals answered with their only run of the game in the home third on a solo home run by Nathan Church.

Baltimore added eight runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to make it 13-1.

The Cardinals scored one run on seven hits. Church was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Liberatore made a throwing error.

Wednesday, August 26, 2026 – Cardinals 7, Orioles 8

The Cardinals were edged by the Orioles 8-7 in Wednesday’s second game of the series. Starter Michael McGreevy pitched five innings, gave up seven runs on 10 hits, walked two and struck out three.

Luis Gastelum, Ryne Stanek and George Soriano pitched a scoreless inning each. Riley O’Brien surrendered one run in the ninth and took the loss.

Baltimore went ahead 5-0 in the first and added two runs in the top of the second to extend the lead to 7-0.

St. Louis answered in the home second with a solo home run by Nolan Gorman.

The Cardinals surged to score six runs in the fifth and tie the game. Bryan Torres singled. JJ Wetherholt and Iván Herrera walked. Alec Burleson singled to plate Torres and Wetherholt. Jordan Walker doubled to score Herrera. Nathan Church drove in Burleson and Walker on a double.

Nathan Church

The Orioles scored one run in the ninth to take the lead 8-7 and win the game.

The offense scored seven runs on 11 hits. Herrera was 3-for-4.  Torres was 3-for-3. Burleson and Church each had two RBI.

Church stole his ninth base. Torres swiped his second bag.

Thursday, August 27, 2026 – Cardinals 7, Orioles 5

The Cardinals salvaged one game of the series by beating the Orioles 7-5 on Thursday. The bullpen game by the Cardinals began with Gordan Graceffo, who pitched three scoreless, no-hit innings with four strikeouts.

Gordon Graceffo

Justin Bruihl followed Graceffo and surrendered one run in 1 2/3 innings. Luis Gastelum threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win. Caleb Ferguson relinquished three runs in the seventh. George Soriano yielded one run in the eighth. Riley O’Brien tossed a scoreless ninth for his 34^th save.

The Cardinals went up 3-0 in the second inning. Alec Burleson singled. Joshua Báez doubled. Blaze Jordan followed with a three-run home run.

Blaze Jordan

St. Louis added two runs in the fourth to extend the lead to 5-0. Burleson singled. Ramón Urías hit a two-run home run.

Ramón Urías

In the top of the fifth, the Orioles scored one run.

The Cardinals answered with a run in the home fifth to make it 6-1. José Fermín singled and stole second. Iván Herrera walked. Jordan Walker singled. Fermín scored on a ground out by Burleson.

Baltimore added three runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to shrink the lead to 6-5.

St. Louis responded with a run in the home eighth for the final score of 7-5. Urías walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Nathan Church drove in Urías on a single.

The Cardinals scored seven runs on nine hits. Burleson was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Walker was 2-for-4.  Jordan had three RBI. Urías had two RBI and two runs scored.

Fermín stole his seventh base.

Friday, August 28, 2026 – Cardinals 4, Pirates 1

The Cardinals beat the Pirates by the score of 4-1 in the opener of the weekend series at Busch Stadium on Friday.

Starter Quinn Mathews pitched 5 2/3 innings, gave up one run on five hits, walked one and fanned seven to earn his first major league win.

Quinn Mathews

Ryan Fernandez relieved Mathews and threw two scoreless innings. Caleb Ferguson collected one out. Ryne Stanek tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his second save.

The Cardinals went up 2-0 in the third inning. Nolan Gorman doubled and Jimmy Crooks followed with a two-run home run.

Jimmy Crooks

St. Louis added a run in the fourth to lead 3-0. Jordan Walker and José Fermín singled. Walker came home on a sac fly by Nathan Church.

The Pirates scored their only run in the fifth inning.

The Cardinals made it 4-1 in the eighth. Walker singled and later scored on an error.

The Cardinals scored four runs on eight hits. Walker was 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Fermín was 2-for-4. Crooks had two RBI.

Saturday, August 29, 2026 – Cardinals 2, Pirates 6

The Cardinals fell to the Pirates in the second game of the series on Saturday.

Starter Kyle Leahy, who was on a pitch count, pitched three innings, gave up one run on four hits, walked one and struck out three.

Back from the minors, Brycen Mautz relieved Leahy and surrendered four runs in three innings and took the loss. Cade Winquest threw two scoreless innings. Ryan Fernandez allowed one run in the ninth.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

The Cardinals tied the game in the third on a solo home run by Joshua Báez.

Pittsburgh regained the lead 2-1 in the fourth, then extended the lead to 5-1 in the fifth.

St. Louis scored their second and final run in the sixth. Jordan Walker reached on an error, advanced on a fielder’s choice by Nathan Church and came home on an error.

The Pirates put up one more run in the ninth to win the game 6-2.

The Cardinals scored two runs on three hits.

Báez made a fielding error.

Sunday, August 30, 2026 – Cardinals 4, Pirates 5

The Cardinals lost to the Pirates by a 5-4 score on Sunday. This is the second series St. Louis lost to Pittsburgh this season at Busch Stadium.

Starter Matthew Liberatore pitched 5 2/3 innings, gave up four runs, three earned, on six hits, walked two and fanned nine. Liberatore took the loss, his 13^th this season.

Ryne Stanek secured the last out of the sixth. Luis Gastelum surrendered one run in the seventh. Gordon Graceffo tossed the final two scoreless innings.

The Pirates scored two runs in the second inning and single runs in the third and fifth to lead 4-0.

The Cardinals responded with two runs in the home fifth to cut the lead to 4-2. Thomas Saggese singled. Bryan Torres walked. Iván Herrera singled to score Saggese. Alec Burleson drove in Torres on a single.

Pittsburgh made it 5-2 in the top of the seventh.

St. Louis partially answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to shrink the lead to 5-4. Ramón Urías walked. Saggese singled, advancing Urías to third. Urías came home on a sac fly by Torres. Herrera plated Saggese on a double.

The Cardinals scored four runs on nine hits. Herrera was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Torres was 2-for-2 with an RBI. Saggese was 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

Herrera stole his eighth base. Burleson swiped his fourth bag.

Urías made a fielding error.

The Big Picture

The Cardinals finished the week with a record of 2-4. They lost both series, to the Orioles and the Pirates. The team is two games under .500 with a record of 68-70. They are hanging on to third place in the Division by one game over the Pirates and are 17.5 games back of the first-place Brewers.

The offense deteriorated over the last week. Four players had an OPS for the week over .900, but they are all part-time players, one of whom is now injured. They are Bryan Torres (1.583 in 6 ABs), Blaze Jordan (1.500 in 5 ABs), Thomas Saggese (1.200 in 5 ABs), and Jimmy Crooks (1.083 in 8 ABs). The highest regular player in OPS is Joshua Báez (.722).

At the bottom are Alec Burleson (.497), Nolan Gorman (.491), JJ Wetherholt (.343), José Fermín (.334) and Pedro Pagés (.200).

This week, the offense experienced injuries, including IL stints for three-quarters of the infield in JJ Wetherholt, Masyn Winn, and Blaze Jordan. Reserve Everson Pereira went down with an injury the week before as well.

The pitching was not much better. Matthew Libertore (10.24 ERA in 2 starts), and Michael McGreevy (12.60 ERA in 1 start) were awful. Kyle Leahy is being held to a pitch count and pitched only three innings in his one start (3.00 ERA). Quinn Mathews pitched well (1.59 ERA in one start). Gordon Graceffo started a bullpen game and threw three scoreless innings then added two more scoreless innings in relief on Sunday.

The Cardinals’ rotation is down two starters and has had poor outings from two and a pitch count shortened outing from another. Andre Pallante may return soon, but it may not be before the injury riddled rotation has to face the Dodgers in the coming week. If Pallante doesn’t return for the series, Leahy could pitch another pitch count limited start against Tarik Skubal. Only McGreevy has been officially named as a starter in that series.

The bullpen has had some changes, with Caleb Ferguson released and replaced by Brycen Mautz, who didn’t pitch any better than Ferguson in his one appearance. Cade Winquest was added after Peter Strzelecki went down with an injury (but not before Strzelecki posted a 108.00 ERA in the 1/3 of an inning he pitched).

An injury hampered and fatigued offense plus an injury hampered pitching staff against the Dodgers this week is a recipe for disaster. The week ends with a series at Coors Field with the Rockies.

Stay tuned as the season progresses.

NL Central Standings

Team	W	L	Pct	GB	WCGB
Milwaukee	85	52	0.620
Chicago	77	60	0.562	8
St. Louis	68	70	0.493	17.5	5
Pittsburgh	67	71	0.486	18.5	6
Cincinnati	65	72	0.474	20	7.5

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.

Transactions

• 8/25 – The Cardinals placed SS Masyn Winn on the 10-day injured list retroactive to August 22. Left thumb fracture.
• 8/25 The Cardinals recalled 3B Nolan Gorman from the Memphis Redbirds.
• 8/27 – The Cardinals placed RHP Peter Strzelecki on the 15-day injured list retroactive to August 26. Right forearm extensor inflammation.
• 8/27 – The Cardinals selected the contract of RHP Cade Winquest from the Memphis Redbirds.
• 8/28 – The Cardinals placed 3B Blaze Jordan on the 10-day injured list. Left ankle sprain.
• 8/28 – The Cardinals recalled 3B Thomas Saggese from the Memphis Redbirds.
• 8/29 – The Cardinals designated LHP Caleb Ferguson for assignment and released him the next day.
• 8/29 – The Cardinals recalled LHP Brycen Mautz from the Memphis Redbirds.
• 8/30 – The Cardinals placed 2B JJ Wetherholt on the 10-day injured list. Right wrist tendinitis.
• 8/30 – The Cardinals recalled 3B César Prieto from the Memphis Redbirds.

Injury Report

• 2B JJ Wetherholt was placed on the 10-day injured list on August 30. Right wrist inflammation. Wetherholt will see a specialist in Arizona before joining the team in Los Angeles. There is no indication that his season is over and Wetherholt hopes to be back after the minimum time.
• 3B Blaze Jordan was placed on the 10-day injured list on August 28. Left ankle sprain. Jordan was put in a walking boot and is expected to be out for several weeks. Next steps will be determined after the teams sees how his body responds in the next several days.
• RHP Peter Strzelecki was placed on the 15-day injured list on August 27, retroactive to August 26. Right forearm extensor inflammation. Strzelecki is expected to be back “soon”.
• SS Masyn Winn (left thumb) was injured in a slide on August 19 and was placed on the 10-day injured list on August 25, retroactive to August 22. Winn had a productive day swinging the bat on August 29 and manager Oli Marmol said he came out optimistic about Winn’s progress toward returning to the roster on the upcoming road trip.
• OF Everson Pereira was hit by a pitch on his left hand in the August 21 game and was placed on the 10-day injured list on August 23. X-rays were negative. Pereira is not expected to travel with the team to Los Angeles. Exact next steps have not been clarified.
• RHP Hunter Dobbins (right flexor strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list on August 22. Dobbins will get a second opinion on September 1.
• RHP Andre Pallante (right elbow inflammation) was placed on the 15-day injured list on August 21, retroactive to August 18. Pallante threw 50 pitches in a bullpen on August 28. How he recovers will determine next steps.
• RHP Max Rajcic had right UCL reconstruction surgery (Tommy John) on July 23, 2026. Rajcic will miss the remainder of the 2026 season and likely the entire 2027 season.

Looking Ahead

September begins with a West Coast road trip of nine games. It begins at Dodger Stadium for a three-game series.

The team travels to Denver to take on the Rockies at Coors Field for three and the road trip concludes in San Francisco for three with the Giants.

After a travel day on Thursday, September 10, the Cardinals return to St. Louis for a nine-game homestand of three games each with the White Sox, Giants, and Nationals.

The season concludes with the final road trip for three games each in Pittsburgh and Milwaukee.

Blast from the Past

The Cardinals played the Baltimore Orioles in a three-game series at Busch Stadium on Tuesday, August 25 through Thursday, August 27. The Orioles are an American League team that from 1901 to 1954 were the St. Louis Browns.

The Cardinals and the Browns have an interesting history, but this week’s Blast from the Past will review the history between the Cardinals and the Orioles after the Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Orioles from 1955 through the present.

Prior to 1997, the American League and the National League played no games with each other during the regular season. In 1997, MLB instituted interleague play, with all NL and AL teams meeting each other on an alternating basis every three years. Thus, the Cardinals played the Orioles every third year.

In 2023, that process was changed to interleague play with every AL team playing every NL team every season.

The first season that the Cardinals played the Orioles was 2003. The two teams have played each other nine times since.

The Cardinals have faced 27 games in total with the Orioles since the institution of interleague play. Below is a list of notable facts pertaining to the history of the meetings between the two teams in that period.

• In the 27 games played between the Cardinals and the Orioles, the Cardinals have a record of 16 wins and 11 losses.
• Despite the fact that the Cardinals won more games, the Orioles scored more runs in those 27 games, 152 to 146.
• The Orioles also have more hits in those 27 games, 271 to 256.
• The Cardinals have hit 43 home runs to the Orioles 42.
• The Orioles have more doubles, 51-45, and more triples, 4-3.
• The Orioles have a higher batting average, .282 to .276.
• The Cardinals have a higher on base percentage, .341 to .334.
• The Orioles slugging is .475 to the Cardinals .470.
• The Cardinals have a higher OPS, .811 to .809.

The Cardinals and the Orioles have never faced each other in the postseason since the latter club moved in 1955. However, the Cardinals and Browns played in the 1944 World Series, which the Cardinals won.

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