2026 Cardinals -- Resetting the reset

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Record: 48-52, 3rd, 18 GB Milwaukee

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Record: 48-53, 3rd, 18 GB Milwaukee

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MLB news: July 23 -- Week 16 - Awards and standings

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Record: 49-53, 3rd, 17 GB Milwaukee

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Record: 49-54, 3rd, 17 GB Milwaukee

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Record: 49-55, 3rd, 17 GB Milwaukee

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Record: 49-56, 3rd, 18 GB Milwaukee

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The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired OF/IF Ceddanne Rafeaela from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for left-handed pitcher Cooper Hjerepe.
A versatile player who can play multiple infield and outfield positions, the 28-year-old Rafaela has hit .291 with 16 home runs and 48 RBIs in 95 games/94 starts for Boston this season.
Rafaela broke into the majors in 2023 after being signed as an international free agent in 2017.
In 791 career games, he has hit .254 with 97 home runs and 384 RBIs.
The Cardinals had always liked Hjerepe's potential, but his inability to throw strikes has always been his downfall.
In 44 games/26 starts at the major league level, he has averaged 4.9 walks per game.
This season, the 28-year-old has pitched in 18 games/8 starts for St. Louis and gone 2-4 with 2 saves and a 4.84 ERA.
For his career, he his 7-11 with three saves and a 4.34 ERA in 44 games/26 starts.

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Record: 49-57, 3rd, 18 GB Milwaukee

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The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired minor-league outfielder Josh Busch and right-handed pitcher Alfredo Lopez from the Washington Nationals in exchange for left-handed relief pitcher Drew Rom and outfielder Jose Ramos.
A sixth-round pick by Washington in the 2027 draft, the 23-year-old Busch has split the 2029 season between Low-A Fremont and High-A Wilmington.
In 68 games/67 starts, he has hit .226 with two home runs and 32 RBIs.
A third-round pick in the 2027 draft, Lopez has split this season between Freemont and AA Harrisburg.
In 19 games, he has gone 4-8 with a 4.40 ERA.
The 29-year-old Rom has been a mainstay in the St. Louis bullpen since the 2025 season but was coming up on free agency.
This season, he has pitched in 46 games going 8-1 with one save and a 3.55 ERA.
For his career, he is 21-13 with 10 saves and a 3.88 ERA in 293 games/eight starts.
Acquired from the Dodgers before the 2027 season, Ramos has had been given plenty of runway to prove himself as a major-league starting outfielder.
But he has hit his low ebb in 2029, hitting just .176 with six home runs and 25 RBIs in 64 games/54 starts.
During his time in St. Louis, the 28-year-old has played in 361 games/336 starts and hit .228 with 61 home runs and 87 RBIs.

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Record: 50-57, 3rd, 17 GB Milwaukee

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MLB news: July 30 -- Week 17 - Awards and standings

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The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired right-handed closer Yoldin De La Paz and minor-league outfielder David McIllvain from the New York Yankees in exchange for shortstop CJ Abrams and right-handed relief pitcher David Bednar.
The 27-year-old De La Paz finally made it to the majors this season and claimed the Yankees closer's job.
In 16 games, he has gone 1-2 with 10 saves and a 1.10 ERA.
McIllvain, 23, has spent this season at AAA Scranton where in 97 games/95 starts he has hit .229 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs.
The Cardinals acquired Abrams in a trade with the Nationals after deciding to move on from Masyn Winn at shortstop.
Winn was traded to the Dodgers.
Abrams, unfortunately, has not performed the way the team had hoped hitting just .223 with six home runs and 32 RBIs in 90 games/86 starts.
Well below, his .247, 19 home runs and 70 RBIs, he had averaged while with the Nationals.
Bednar, 34, joined the Cardinals prior to the 2028 season and alternated between being the closer and the primary right-handed set-up pitcher.
This season, he had pitched in 35 games going 1-2 with 3 saves and a 3.67 ERA.
He performed much better in 2028, going 0-5 with 28 saves and a 1.48 ERA in 40 games.

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Record: 50-58, 3rd, 18 GB Milwaukee

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Record: 51-58, 3rd, 17 GB Milwaukee

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MLB news: August 1 -- Players and Pitchers of the Month for July

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MLB news: August 1 -- Rookies of the Month for July and standings

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MLB news: August 1 -- American League leaders

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MLB news: August 1 -- National League leaders

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Cards news: August 1 -- Team statistics for July