As the regular season winds down, the St. Louis Cardinals are all but out of playoff contention. With five games left, the team sits 3 1/2 games behind the final National League wild-card spot and would need to leap three teams to get in.
Adding to the disappointment, the club announced that shortstop Masyn Winn will not play again this year. Winn had been battling a meniscus tear in his knee during the second half of the season but was finally shut down. The 22-year-old will undergo arthroscopic surgery on Thursday with the expectation of being ready for spring training in 2026.
Despite playing hurt, Winn was a bright spot for St. Louis. In his second full season as the team’s everyday shortstop, he hit .253 with nine home runs, 51 RBIs and 124 hits. Defensively, he was among the best in baseball, finishing with 22 Outs Above Average. He led the league in that category for much of the year and still ranks tied for second, behind only Royals star Bobby Witt Jr., even after missing the last two weeks.
Winn’s offensive numbers dipped noticeably as the season wore on, likely a direct result of the injury. Over his final 30 games, he batted just .184 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. Still, his overall contributions were impressive, building on a strong sophomore campaign and showing why the Cardinals view him as a franchise cornerstone.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals are expected to lean more heavily on young players as they transition toward a youth movement in 2026. Alongside Winn, Ivan Herrera and Alec Burleson are expected to play central roles. Winn, who has already compiled 7.1 WAR in his first two full-time seasons, projects as a centerpiece of that wave.
If surgery and recovery go as planned, the Cardinals can expect a healthy, dynamic Winn leading the infield when they report to Jupiter for spring training next February.