JUPITER, FL – MARCH 17: A detail shot of the St. Louis Cardinals logo along the dugout railing prior to the 2024 Spring Breakout Game between the Houston Astros and the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Deam Chevrolet Stadium on Sunday, March 17, 2024 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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The St. Louis Cardinals are already turning their attention toward next season after another year without postseason baseball.
While there were some bright spots in this campaign, ultimately the end of the 2026 season is now focused on a series of personnel decisions as the organization evaluates its roster for the future and an ongoing rebuild toward contention.
“While the Cardinals emerged as potential surprise contenders early in the season, once reaching nine games above .500 and riding momentum behind big breakout seasons from Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson, the end result is another season without postseason baseball,” Joey Schneider reported for Fox 2 Now. “Much of the messaging from the Cardinals’ front office and ownership group this season has been building up the franchise for the long-term future rather than just the 2026 season alone.”
Last week, that approach resulted in a veteran big leaguer cutting ties with the organization.
Veteran Pitcher’s Brief St Louis Cardinals Run Comes To End
Four-year MLB reliever Peter Strzelecki, who joined St. Louis late in the season, elected free agency after spending only a short period with the Cardinals, according to the official transaction tracker.
For Strzelecki, the decision closes a brief return to the major leagues after spending much of the previous two seasons bouncing between organizations and the minor leagues.
Strzelecki joined St. Louis on a minor league contract July 25 and was selected to the major league roster just three days later. The move gave him another opportunity after stints with the Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees and other organizations earlier in his career.
But his time with the Cardinals ultimately lasted less than two months.
“Over eight appearances and 14 innings, he pitched to a 5.79 ERA with below-average strikeout, walk and ground-ball percentages of 13.1, 9.8 and 38.6, respectively,” Connor Byrne wrote for MLB Trade Rumors. “Most of the damage came during a four-run meltdown over a third of an inning against the Orioles on Aug. 25. Strzelecki went on the 15-day injured list with extensor inflammation in his right forearm two days later. The Cardinals reinstated Strzelecki from the IL and then designated him for assignment on Wednesday.”
Those numbers made it difficult for St. Louis to maintain a roster spot for the veteran as the season moved toward its conclusion.
St Louis Cardinals Castoff Searches For New Opportunity
The Brewers originally signed Strzelecki as an undrafted free agent following the 2018 MLB Draft, and he eventually reached the majors with Milwaukee in 2022.
He later moved through the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations before returning to the Brewers in 2026. He also spent time with the Yankees earlier this year, then returned to Milwaukee before then landing in St. Louis.
The Cardinals represented another chance to establish himself in a major league bullpen, but his eight appearances did not produce the results necessary to secure a longer-term role.
Now, Strzelecki will enter free agency again, looking for another organization willing to give him an opportunity to compete for a major league job.
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