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Three Cardinals Who Might Not be Tendered Contracts for 2027
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- Three Cardinals Who Might Not be Tendered Contracts for 2027
(Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images)
Still very much in rebuild mode, the St. Louis Cardinals aren't expected to make significant changes to their roster in the offseason via trades or splashy free-agent signees.
Still, no two teams are the same from year to year and most always tend to make at least ancillary changes in terms of starting personnel, bench bats and with their pitching depth.
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So, while the Cardinals likely won't be in the hunt for the upper-crust free agents (Think: Tarik Skubal, Michael King, Freddy Peralta, Randy Arozarena and Seiya Suzuki), they will almost assuredly still make additions to try and plug holes at third base, center field and in the bullpen.
With newcomers expected to arrive, that means some Cardinals have likely played their last games with the franchise. MLB's "non-tender" deadline is Nov. 21 -- the last day teams must extend a contract to eligible players who are not under a team option. If a player is not tendered, they become an immediate free agent for the next season. This extends to both arbitration-eligible and pre-arbitration players.
Here are the top "non-tender" candidates who could be out as Cardinals in the coming weeks:
Nolan Gorman, third baseman
For years, the biggest fear for the Cardinals is that they give up on the powerful Gorman too soon, he figures out his swing and somehow duplicates the 27 home runs he hit in 2023. However, the 26-year-old third baseman simply has been unable to figure out a solution for all the swing-and-miss in his game through the years. Here are Gorman's strikeout rates in his career: 32.9 percent (2022), 31.9 percent (2023), 37.6 percent (2024), 33.8 percent (2025) and 32.5 percent (2026). The Cardinals have a tremendous need at third base, and Gorman certainly would be at the top of the list to win the job there if they decide to hang onto him. However, he is projected to make $3.4 million in his first round of arbitration eligibility, and the Cards likely think they can get another third base option for cheaper than that. Also, this could factor into the team's decision-making: The Cardinals likely will want to keep the third base slot somewhat ajar for rising prospects Rainiel Rodriguez and/or Jesus Baez, meaning the club might move on from Gorman.
Pedro Pages, catcher
The Cardinals couldn't have been happier with how rookie Leo Bernal responded to his opportunity at the big-league level by smashing five home runs and driving in 21 runs in 24 games after being promoted on Aug. 31. The starting job will be his when the Cardinals hit Spring Training, and the club is still trying to find a position for Ivan Herrera when he is not at designated hitter. Herrera caught 52 games last season, but he threw out just 1 of 38 base stealers. Then, there's Jimmy Crooks, who finished his Triple-A season with a flourish at the plate. That doesn't leave many opportunities for Pages, who is one of the most popular players in the clubhouse because of his strong spirit and his willingness to work. Pages should have no trouble getting work elsewhere after throwing out 15 base stealers (tied for the seventh most in MLB in 2026) in 2026. His 31 percent caught stealing rate was better than MLB's average (29 percent) and it ranked third in MLB among catchers with at least 15 runners thrown out.
Victor Scott II, center fielder
Like Pages, Scott II is one of the most likeable players in the Cardinals clubhouse because of his good-natured spirit and his hustle on the field. However, Scott's struggles at the plate could cost him another shot in St. Louis. He made the Opening Day roster for a third straight season in 2026, but he hit just .193 with a .523 OPS over 80 MLB games and spent a major chunk of the season at Triple-A Memphis. In 271 career MLB games, Scott II has hit just .203 with a .563 OPS. Scott is playing in the Dominican Winter League for the first time in hopes of finding something with his swing and proving to the Cardinals that he can hit big-league pitching.
