As the St. Louis Cardinals drift through the late-summer stretch of the MLB calendar, their playoff hopes are flickering more than burning bright.

With the team hovering around .500 for weeks now, it’s starting to feel like the wild card hunt is more mirage than mission. Sure, baseball history is dotted with dramatic turnarounds, but this Cardinals squad isn’t showing the kind of punch that usually sparks a September surge.

So what does that mean for the front office? Direction.

Clarity. It’s time to look ahead and lean fully into building for 2025 and beyond.

The team has begun shifting toward a youth-infused roster, but there are still some veterans and placeholders soaking up roster spots-both on the field and the 40-man. And in a system that boasts real depth in the minors, clinging to players who aren’t part of the long-term vision doesn’t make much sense.

Here are three Cardinals who, based on performance and fit, shouldn’t be on the roster by the time we flip the calendar to September.

OF Garrett Hampson

Garrett Hampson was a midseason pickup-claimed off waivers from the Reds after Jose Barrero was designated for assignment. At the time, the move made some sense. Hampson was brought in as a right-handed bat to complement Victor Scott II in center and offer some utility depth.

But look at the body of work, and it’s hard to justify keeping him around. Twenty-two plate appearances into his Cardinals stint, he’s slashing just .143/.182/.190 with 10 strikeouts.

That’s a lot of non-contact for minimal production. He’s not changing games with the glove either.

Simply put: he’s not bringing enough to the table-in any aspect of the game.

Meanwhile, there’s an in-house option quietly making noise that could step in immediately. Nathan Church has quietly blossomed in the minors, and his number could be coming up soon.

A left-handed outfielder with speed, a strong arm, and real pop in his bat, Church is putting together one of the more impressive seasons in the farm system: .329 average, .387 OBP, .521 slugging, plus 12 homers and 15 steals. Those aren’t just good numbers-they’re a neon sign that says, “I’m ready.”

Hampson’s role can and should go to a player with upside. Church fits the bill.

RHP Ryan Fernandez

The bullpen underwent a facelift at the trade deadline, with key arms like Ryan Helsley and Phil Maton shipped out and fresh faces like Roddery Munoz and Ryan Fernandez brought in. Fernandez, for his part, is having one of those seasons that just never quite clicked.

He opened 2025 with a rough stretch, posting an 11.42 ERA over 8.2 innings in March and April. Eleven earned runs, just seven strikeouts against five walks-it was a rocky start that forced a trip to Triple-A Memphis to recalibrate.

To his credit, Fernandez did just that. He found far more command and consistency in Memphis, pitching to a 3.12 ERA over 34.2 innings while striking out 49. But even with a better showing in Triple-A, the time may have come to look in another direction.

There are still viable bullpen options remaining in the pipeline-like Chris Roycroft, who’s been on the radar all summer, or Jorge Alcala, recently added and a potential arm with swing-and-miss upside. If the Cardinals are serious about evaluating future pieces in high-leverage roles, Fernandez could be shuffled out in favor of a fresher look.

C Pedro Pages

Let’s be clear: Pedro Pages isn’t the kind of player who’s going to get DFA’d tomorrow. His work behind the plate has earned rave reviews from both the coaching staff and the rotation. Pitchers trust his game-calling, and he’s viewed as a calming, reliable presence behind the dish.

But at some point, production matters. Offensively, Pages has struggled mightily in 2025.

Among all players with at least 250 plate appearances, his 60 wRC+ ranks near the bottom of the league. He’s barely hitting .200 and striking out nearly 27% of the time.

That’s a tough pill to swallow when your bat provides little upside.

If there’s ever a time to test out a young catcher with the potential to take over the position long-term, it might be now. Jimmy Crooks fits that profile.

He’s the team’s No. 5 prospect and has been holding his own at the plate in the minors with a .265/.331/.431 slash line, 12 dingers, and 70 RBIs. But it’s not just the offense-Crooks has impressed defensively, especially in holding down the running game, something the major-league club values highly.

If St. Louis wants to start thinking ahead toward reshaping its next core, inserting Crooks for some meaningful major league reps could be a smart way to finish out the season.

Roster decisions in the final months of a long year are often about more than just stats-they’re about direction. The Cardinals are at the crossroads now. With the postseason picture blurry at best, it’s time to start clearing space for the club’s next wave of talent.

That means saying goodbye to some veterans who’ve had their shot, and giving the future a head start.