Cardinals entering not-so-fun rebuild following trade deadline

The St. Louis Cardinals were busy sellers at the 2025 MLB trade deadline, shipping off a trio of relievers to various contenders. It signified the team's acknowledgement that 2025 isn't the team's year, and that for the first time in a while, the Cardinals are rebuilding.

John Denton of MLB.com outlined the incoming rebuild in a recent piece following the team's trade deadline. With a rebuild on the horizon, Denton didn't mince words, as he gave a very realistic outlook for the next two months.

"The final two months of this season probably aren't going to be much fun for Cardinals fans or easy for the young ball club," Denton writes, "as evidenced by the Cards scoring one run in a three-game stretch from Tuesday to Friday."

With the trades of Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, and Phil Maton, the Cardinals were getting as much value as they could from players on expiring deals. They also wanted to move Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, and Miles Mikolas.

But, with each having a no-trade clause, no deal could be worked out, even if there was interest. The writing is on the wall, and the Cardinals are entering a rebuild that will carry over through the 2026 season.

"Rebuilding can be hard to watch," Denton writes, "frustrating to experience and downright painful to endure."

MORE: Cardinals' trade acquisition shares five-word message with fans

Heading into a rebuild, while necessary, is never fun. But there's some light at the end of the tunnel, thanks to the youth coming up through the minor leagues. JJ Wetherholt, the team's top prospect, is a reason to get excited.

Maybe Jordan Walker can figure out his swing, while the prospects they landed from dealing the trio of relievers could make their MLB debuts over the next year and a half. There are some exciting aspects of a rebuild.

However, in the meantime, it won't be very fun for either the players or the fans. A rebuild, especially as the veterans leave and the roster isn't as strong as it once was, is a tough time to sit through.

St. Louis has a ways to go, and the rebuild won't be fun. It's an arduous process, requires patience and for everyone to buy in. But, as evidenced by plenty of teams throughout baseball history, a successful rebuild can set a team up for sustained success.

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