IMAGE: Imagn Images<\/div>\n
The St. Louis Cardinals may be shifting into rebuild mode, but that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re pulling the plug on being competitive entirely-not yet, anyway.<\/p>\n
After selling off three bullpen arms at the trade deadline-Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, and Phil Maton-the Cardinals made it pretty clear where they stand in 2025. At 4.5 games out of the NL Wild Card and 14 games behind in the Central, the math may not be on their side, but the organizational reset is more than just a short-term standings play. With Chaim Bloom set to take the reins as President of Baseball Operations at season\u2019s end, the club is positioning itself for something longer-term: a retool, maybe even a full rebuild, that prioritizes internal development over immediate contention.<\/p>\n
But here\u2019s the thing about rebuilds-they don\u2019t have to come with a bare cupboard. Even if the budget remains tight under ownership, there\u2019s room for smart, cost-effective pickups.<\/p>\n
One name that makes a lot of sense? Right-hander Shelby Miller.<\/p>\n
Now, Cardinals fans will remember Miller well. He made his MLB debut with St.<\/p>\n
Louis back in 2012, first stepping onto the big stage as a reliever before carving out a spot in the rotation the following year and finishing third in National League Rookie of the Year voting. His time in St.<\/p>\n
Louis was marked by flashes of brilliance, and though his journey since then has taken him across baseball\u2019s landscape-from Atlanta to Arizona, Texas to San Francisco, and just about everywhere in between-Miller\u2019s story might be coming full circle.<\/p>\n
In 2025, Miller\u2019s been everything teams want out of a high-leverage arm. Between stops in Arizona and Milwaukee-he was traded to the Brewers at the deadline-he\u2019s 3-3 with a sparkling 1.93 ERA in 38 appearances. Those aren\u2019t just solid stats-they\u2019re the kind that earn trust in the late innings, especially for a club that just lost a trio of trusted bullpen options.<\/p>\n
If the Cardinals do bring Miller back in 2026, it wouldn\u2019t just be a nostalgic reunion; it would be a savvy, short-term upgrade to a bullpen that suddenly needs stability. He\u2019s got the experience, the resilience, and a recent track record that suggests he still has plenty left in the tank. And if the Cardinals find themselves once again out of postseason reach next summer, Miller could offer even more value as a midseason trade chip for prospects-fuel for a rebuild rather than a limit on one.<\/p>\n
Of course, much of what\u2019s to come will depend on Bloom\u2019s approach. He\u2019ll inherit a team with pitching needs, rosters to sort through, and position-player logjams to resolve.<\/p>\n
But one thing is clear: even during a reset, the Cardinals can\u2019t afford to overlook bullpen depth. And in a market where bargain deals are going to matter, Miller fits the mold of the kind of move that makes both baseball and business sense.<\/p>\n
The coming offseason will offer our first real glimpse of Bloom\u2019s blueprint. He\u2019s got big shoes to fill as John Mozeliak steps aside, but there\u2019s opportunity here-to reimagine the Cardinals’ identity, restock the system, and reposition the club as a rising force, even if the plan takes some patience.<\/p>\n
The postseason may be out of reach in 2025, but 2026 could be a different story with a few shrewd additions. And a familiar face like Shelby Miller might just help set the tone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The St. Louis Cardinals may be shifting into rebuild mode, but that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re pulling the plug on being competitive entirely-not yet, anyway. After selling off three…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":76269,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-76268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/p>\n