TLDR: St. Louis closed the books on October before Labor Day even faded.
None of the elimination math stopped the Cardinals from playing their final home date of the year like it mattered. Ivan Herrera stayed hot late, tying the game with a 439-foot blast -- his second multi-homer game of the season and third of his career, a reminder of the power the roster is building around heading into next year.
Derrick Goold @dgoold · Ivan Herrera ties it up with a 439-foot homer to the seats beyond the #Natitude bullpen. His second multi-homer game of the season, third of his career, and guess what the #stlcards have cooking in the closing minutes of their home schedule -- another taut game.
With the season already decided, the vibe around the ballpark turned toward next October instead of this one. Riley O'Brien came in to lock down a 2-run lead in the 9th, and Goold's framing of the moment doubled as a farewell to the building for the winter.
Derrick Goold @dgoold · #stlcards are three outs away from the end of their 2026 season. They have a two-run lead. Riley O'Brien is in for the save. Their good-hands team is on the field. The next big-league baseball here in downtown St. Louis could be awhile ... #cardinals #MLB
Leo Bernal supplied the go-ahead knock, and O'Brien finished it off with help from Victor Scott II in the field, closing out a 5-3 win and the home slate for 2026 on a high note despite the bigger picture.
Derrick Goold@dgooldLeo Bernal puts them ahead. Riley O’Brien keeps them there with a helping hand from Victor Scott II. #stlcards 5, #natitude 3 That’s a wrap on 2026 at home.
So the Cardinals head into the winter with a losing record, a 4th straight playoff miss and a lot of questions about the front office's next move -- but also with two rookies who look like part of the answer and a fan base that, for now, has stopped walking away. Whether that's real progress or just a plateau gets sorted out next spring.