Should Cardinals' fast start to 2026 accelerate their long-range rebuild plans?
About this episode
The episode discusses whether the Cardinals' strong start to the 2026 season should influence their long-term rebuilding strategy.
MIAMI -- Fresh off a sweep of the Astros in Houston, the Cardinals visit the Marlins with a tailwind of five consecutive wins and a fast start to their rebuild season. Does their early success suggest they'll outperform expectations in 2026, and if so should they accelerate their rebuild plans? That's the question that begins a conversation between 101 ESPN/WXOS host Brandon Kiley, of BK and Ferrario and the Redbird Report, and Best Podcast in Baseball host and baseball writer Derrick Goold. The Cardinals' rush to five games better than .500 this season is buoyed by defying some trends, such as their negative run differential and their undefeated record (5-0) in extra innings. Both indicate that the Cardinals will experience a correction. Still, they've played a crisp, opportunistic brand of baseball that can claim wins in April, and if they continue to outplay their projections how will that challenge the team's stated plan to focus on the longterm. Will the Cardinals keep their eye on the ball and make future-focused trades even if the club orbits .500? What message will they send fans if this team draws support for how it's playing, for how well it's playing? There are…
More episodes of Best Podcast in Baseball
- Cardinals TV's Dani Wexelman relishes baseball stories she's ready to tell in her new role
- Happy New Year! BPIB's preview of 2026 Cardinals comes out of left field
- Thomas Saggese flips the script with questions for BPIB and a new position for Cardinals
- BPIB Season No. 14 premieres with Cardinals spring training roundtable
- The big deal: What have Cardinals added with all of this subtraction?
- A melancholy end to what could have been for Cardinals and Nolan Arenado
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Best Podcast in Baseball podcast page.