The St. Louis Cardinals aren't pretending anymore. After years of clinging to competitive relevance while the roster aged around them, president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom has finally embraced what everyone could see: this team needs a reset.
The moves have come fast. Sonny Gray and William Contreras were shipped to Boston for a prospect haul headlined by outfielder Roman Anthony. Brendan Donovan remains on the trade block. And the farm system, long neglected, is suddenly flush with young talent.
What the Gray and Contreras deals mean
Gray, 35, had two years remaining on his contract worth $25 million annually. He pitched well in 2025 — 3.84 ERA across 166 innings — but keeping an aging arm on a team going nowhere made little sense.
Contreras, 27, was harder to part with. He's under club control through 2028 and posted a .282/.347/.452 line last season. But catching prospects in the system made him expendable, and Boston paid a premium.
Roman Anthony, the centerpiece return, ranks among the top 10 prospects in baseball. He slashed .285/.393/.460 across Double-A and Triple-A last year and projects as an impact bat in St. Louis's outfield by 2027.
The Donovan question
Multiple reports indicate the Cardinals are actively shopping Brendan Donovan, their versatile 27-year-old utility player. He's cost-controlled through 2029 and hit .278/.351/.402 in 2025.
Teams with infield needs — the Phillies, Dodgers, and Yankees have all been mentioned — could view Donovan as a plug-and-play solution. St. Louis seems willing to listen on virtually anyone not named Masyn Winn or Jordan Walker.
The Dustin May gamble
Not everything has been about subtraction. The Cardinals signed former Dodgers starter Dustin May to a deal worth $15 million, betting on the 27-year-old right-hander's elite stuff returning after multiple injury setbacks.
May hasn't pitched a full season since 2020. Tommy John surgery in 2021 and a torn flexor tendon in 2024 have derailed his development. But when healthy, his sinker-curveball combination grades among the best in baseball.
It's a low-risk flier on upside — exactly the kind of move a rebuilding team should make.
What Bloom is building
The Cardinals' farm system has improved dramatically. Beyond Anthony, they've added arms and position players through trades and international signings. The 2026 draft will be crucial.
Bloom's tenure in Boston ended poorly, but his early work there built a sustainable pipeline. St. Louis is betting he can do the same in the Midwest.
The 2026 season won't be pretty. The 2028 version might look very different.