With the regular season winding down, rumors are starting to swirl around what the St. Louis Cardinals roster may look like in 2026. Fans could see this club without its stars like Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras.
The team tried to trade Arenado before the season started, and they will likely continue to explore their options there. For Contreras, he just saw his season end with a right bicep strain, and with St. Louis' stacked catching option, he could be sent elsewhere in the winter.
However, that does not mean they cannot replace them in free agency if they decide to go that route. There are plenty of great options that could help this club move closer to being thought of as a contender.
Cardinals advised to keep a close eye on Japanese slugger's status this winter
While all eyes will be on players like Kyle Tucker, Kyle Schwarber, and Bo Bichette, some teams are patiently waiting to see the status of some international players like Munetaka Murakami. He currently plays for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the NPB and is regarded as one of the best hitters the league has seen in some time.
Murakami could get posted this winter and be made available to all 30 MLB clubs. If he does get posted, he is somebody that Sports Illustrated's Zach Pressnell believes St. Louis should take a shot on.
"It's unclear if superstar Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami will be posted in MLB's free agency this winter, but if he is, the Cardinals need to take a shot on him. He's the perfect option to fill the place of Nolan Arenado and//or Willson Contreras, assuming the Cardinals can find a way to trade one of these two players. Murakami has been in the NPB for eight years and has clubbed over 250 home runs. His power would be appreciated in St. Louis."
This all depends on whether or not he gets posted. The earliest Murakami can be posted is on November 1, so it will not be long before baseball fans learn what league the former Japanese Triple Crown winner will be playing next season.