Cardinals on the Bubble in 2026 | MLB News

The St. Louis Cardinals are flying under the radar—and crushing expectations. With a gritty 2-1 win over the Marlins, they’ve surged to 43-38 at the season’s halfway mark, just a game and a half behind the Cubs for the second NL Wild Card spot. Kyle Leahy pitched five strong innings, the bullpen locked things down, and even Bryan Torres delivered a clutch two-run homer. Under Chaim Bloom’s leadership, this team has exceeded preseason predictions across the board—rotation, bullpen, offense, and farm system all earning solid grades. If they maintain this pace, an 86-win season could be enough to sneak into the playoffs, especially with three Wild Card spots up for grabs. But with the trade deadline looming and teams like the Padres and Nationals hot on their heels, the Cardinals are on the bubble—and they’re going to need to keep firing on all cylinders to make the postseason. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/8102c495d3e88ee8