"The Cardinal Way" most often refers to the specific strategy the St. Louis Cardinals use to develop their minor-league prospects. In recent times, reaching the postseason has also become an extension of "The Cardinal Way," given how often they play baseball games deep into October.
The Cardinals have made the postseason 16 times since the turn of the century, winning two World Series championships along the way. This year, however, the club could be looking at a third straight season without playoff baseball in St. Louis — something that hasn't happened since 2016-18.
A flurry of outbound moves at the trade deadline signaled a lack of intention to compete for this year's World Series. The Cardinals, fourth in the NL Central with a 61-60 record, are also four games out of a wild cart spot.
But as the saying goes, "there's always next year."
Redbird Rants' Cliff Williams is already looking ahead to the makeup of the Cardinals' 2026 roster and believes its bullpen could get a boost in the form of New York Yankees relief pitcher Devin Williams.
"This is an absolute no-brainer," Cliff Williams wrote. "The Cardinals at the deadline traded away their closer, Ryan Helsey. He had a great run, but he is a free agent at the end of the year. There was no way to know what his next contract would look like or even if he would want to stay with the Cardinals."
Devin Williams has not performed up to snuff during his first season with the Yankees, making a familiar fresh start an inviting possibility for the two-time National League Reliever of the Year. Such a signing could also make for a cost-effective investment for the Cardinals' front office, according to Cliff Williams.
"Devin Williams is a St. Louis native, having grown up in the area and attended Hazelwood West High School. Bringing him home could be a popular move with the fan base, and if the Cardinals match any offer he gets, it could be the deciding factor that might entice Williams to sign with the Cardinals," Cliff Williams wrote.
"After a down season with the Yankees, where he struggled with a high ERA and was even temporarily demoted from the closer role, Williams's value may have dipped a bit. This could present a very real 'buy-low' opportunity for the Cardinals to gain an elite talent at a more manageable price than his past performance would have commanded."
During his debut season in New York, Devin Williams has pitched to a 3-5 record, 5.60 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, in addition to recording 17 saves, 59 strikeouts and 19 walks across 45 innings pitched. 2025 has served as a strong outlier for the former Milwaukee Brewers star, whose career ERA was 1.83 heading into the year and has since jumped to 2.44.