For the fourth straight season, the St. Louis Cardinals will not make the playoffs. For the third time in those four seasons, they will have a losing record. While the team has made major progress this season, it is still disappointing given the organization's rich tradition of winning. As a result, it's easy for members of Cardinal Nation to change the channel for this weekend's final series against the Milwaukee Brewers . After all, college football and the NFL have started. The NHL and the St. Louis Blues begin next week.
However, there are three reasons to watch the Cardinals this weekend.
Two All-Stars have had rough second-half stretches. Jordan Walker , who won the Home Run Derby , has just six home runs since. Riley O'Brien , the team's All-Star closer, has just 14 saves since then.
Despite the rough patches, both enter the Cardinals' final series with a chance to reach some special marks. For Walker, he is two home runs shy of 30 for the season. His 2026 season will not be viewed differently if he doesn't reach that mark. After all, he has over 100 RBI. However, reaching the 30-home-run mark would be a nice exclamation point to his special season. It would also mean he ends the season on a high note after struggling down the stretch.
O'Brien needs two saves this weekend to reach 40 for the season. Reaching 40 saves would put him in the top ten in team history for saves in a single season. Like Walker, O'Brien's season won't be viewed any differently if he doesn't reach the mark, but it would be a nice accomplishment as the team heads into the offseason. Furthermore, he has an outside chance to finish the season as the league leader in saves.
As the Cardinals' final series gets underway, there is no denying the theme of the season has been the youth movement. JJ Wetherholt , Quinn Mathews , and Joshua Baez have all provided memorable moments to give Cardinal Nation hope for the future. Leo Bernal has done the same and is doing so in historic fashion .
Sep 11, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Leo Bernal (13) hits a one run single against the Chicago White Sox during the seventh inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Bernal made his debut on September 1st. In 81 at-bats, he is hitting .296 with four home runs and 18 RBI. His 12 RBI in his first ten games set a team record for most RBI in a rookie's first ten games . His 17 RBI in 18 games breaks a team record previously set by Tom Alston in 1954.
When Mark McGwire hit his 69th and 70th home run on the final day of the 1998 season, broadcaster Jack Buck famously asked, "How much more can give us, Big Mac?" That question should be posed to Bernal as the Cardinals' final series begins. How much can he give us in the final three days of his historic first month?
O'Brien is not the only Cardinal with a chance to end the season atop the league in a category. Unlike O'Brien, however, Alec Burleson holds the top spot heading into the weekend. At the time of writing this (Thursday evening), Burleson leads the MLB with 113 RBI, three ahead of Pete Alonso and Sal Stewart .
We have to go back to 2010 to find the last time a Cardinal led the National League in RBI: Albert Pujols . We have to go back even further to find the last Cardinal to lead the entire MLB- Joe Torre in 1971.
Needless to say, Burleson has a chance to make some rare Cardinals' history this season. Given all the great hitters and run producers in MLB, it would say a lot if Burleson can end the season atop the list.
No, the Cardinals are not headed to the postseason or even playing for a winning record. However, there are still reasons to watch the team take the field this weekend.
Main Photo: Tim Vizer- Imagn Images
