The St. Louis Cardinals have made progress developing their pitching staff, but former Cardinals standout Lance Lynn believes the organization still has a significant problem to solve before it can return to serious postseason contention. Despite several encouraging performances from younger pitchers during the 2026 season, Lynn argues that the team needs two frontline starting pitchers to transform its rotation from a dependable unit into one capable of competing for a World Series championship.
The former World Series champion’s assessment arrives at an important moment for St. Louis. The Cardinals finished the 2026 campaign with a 77–85 record and missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Although the team did not achieve its ultimate objective, the season offered some encouraging signs, particularly among the young players who could form the foundation of its next competitive roster. However, the absence of an established ace remains a major question as the organization prepares for the offseason.
Lance Lynn Explains Why the Cardinals Need Two Frontline Starters
Lynn believes the Cardinals already possess enough pitching depth to assemble a respectable rotation. What they lack, in his view, is the elite talent required to compete against the strongest teams in Major League Baseball when the postseason arrives.
The veteran pitcher explained that having several capable starters is valuable, but it does not automatically make a team a championship contender. Teams with legitimate World Series ambitions generally rely on top-end starting pitchers who can consistently deliver quality outings, handle high-pressure situations and give their clubs a chance to win against the best opposition.
Lynn’s assessment was direct: the Cardinals need two high-caliber starters if they want to build an elite rotation. His argument is not that the current group lacks potential, but that its existing depth may not be enough to overcome the gap between a competitive regular-season team and a legitimate championship threat.
That distinction matters for an organization trying to rebuild without sacrificing its long-term future. A rotation can feature several reliable pitchers and still struggle to match opponents whose leading starters consistently dominate games. In a short postseason series, the ability to deploy two elite arms can become particularly important because every start carries greater significance.
For St. Louis, the challenge is determining how to acquire that level of talent without undermining the development of the young players already in the organization.
Young Pitchers Have Given St. Louis a Foundation to Build On
The Cardinals’ starting rotation was one of the more encouraging aspects of their 2026 campaign. Pitchers such as Kyle Leahy, Andre Pallante and Michael McGreevy emerged as important contributors, giving the club several options as it evaluates its pitching future.
Their development is significant because the organization has been reshaping its roster around younger talent. Rather than relying entirely on expensive veterans, St. Louis has increasingly emphasized giving its developing players opportunities to establish themselves at the major-league level.
A deeper collection of capable starters provides several advantages. It gives the manager more flexibility when setting the rotation, offers insurance against injuries and creates competition for starting jobs. It can also help the team manage innings more carefully as younger pitchers adjust to the demands of a full major-league season.
Nevertheless, depth and dominance are not the same thing. Having five pitchers who can provide competitive starts is different from having one or two pitchers capable of consistently overpowering strong lineups. That is the gap Lynn believes the Cardinals must address.
The next step, therefore, is not simply finding more pitchers to fill rotation spots. It is identifying arms with the ability to develop into frontline starters who can anchor the staff over multiple seasons.
Why Signing Two Aces Could Be Difficult
One possible route would be the free-agent market, but acquiring two elite starters through that avenue could prove difficult.
The report identifies Tarik Skubal and former Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray as notable names in the potential market. Both represent the type of high-level pitching talent that could help address the concern Lynn has raised. However, attracting top-tier starters often requires substantial financial commitments, and St. Louis must weigh those costs against its broader rebuilding strategy.
The Cardinals are operating under president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, whose approach emphasizes building a sustainable contender through player development. That strategy creates a different set of priorities from those of a team prepared to spend aggressively to address immediate weaknesses.
A major free-agent signing could accelerate the rebuilding process, but it could also reduce financial flexibility in subsequent seasons. Committing significant money to multiple starters would require confidence that the team is close enough to contention to benefit from those investments.
There is also the question of whether the necessary pitchers would be willing to join a rebuilding club. Established starters with several suitors may prefer organizations that are already positioned to compete for postseason success.
Consequently, although free agency remains a possible avenue, it may not be the easiest way for St. Louis to obtain both of the frontline arms Lynn believes are necessary.
Chaim Bloom May Have to Look Within the Organization
If the Cardinals cannot secure elite starters through free agency, developing them internally could become central to their plans.
The report points to pitching prospects Liam Doyle and Tanner Franklin as examples of young arms who could contribute to the organization’s longer-term ambitions. Their development gives St. Louis potential building blocks, although neither prospect should be treated as a guaranteed future ace.
Developing frontline starting pitchers is a complicated process. Prospects must demonstrate that their stuff can succeed against increasingly advanced hitters, maintain command, build the stamina required to handle a starter’s workload and stay healthy as their innings increase.
Even highly regarded prospects can experience setbacks. Some require additional time in the minor leagues, while others eventually find more success in relief roles. For that reason, the Cardinals will need several promising pitching options rather than relying on one or two prospects to solve every rotation problem.
A successful development strategy would allow St. Louis to create a strong rotation without paying the full market price for established stars. It could also give the organization greater control over its roster and payroll, making it easier to strengthen other areas of the team.
However, internal development takes time. If the Cardinals want to return to the postseason sooner rather than later, they may eventually need to combine their young pitchers with carefully selected outside additions.
The Cardinals Face an Important Offseason Decision
The broader question is how quickly St. Louis wants to move from rebuilding to competing.
The team’s 77–85 finish and fourth consecutive postseason absence demonstrate that the rebuilding process has not yet produced the results the organization ultimately wants. At the same time, the emergence of young contributors gives the front office reasons to continue investing in player development rather than abandoning that approach for expensive short-term solutions.
The offseason will give Bloom an opportunity to assess which pitchers can be trusted with regular rotation responsibilities, which prospects need more development and whether an external addition would meaningfully improve the team’s outlook.
The Cardinals could pursue a combination of approaches: continue developing their young starters, explore trades for pitchers with multiple years of team control, or consider free agents whose age, performance and contract demands fit the club’s timetable.
Trades may be particularly relevant because teams sometimes make young or established pitchers available in exchange for prospects and other roster assets. However, St. Louis would need to determine whether surrendering valuable young players would undermine the same rebuilding process it is trying to complete.
The front office must also consider the bullpen, offensive production and overall roster depth. Even an improved rotation cannot guarantee postseason success if the team struggles to score runs or protect leads.
What Lynn’s Message Means for St. Louis
Lynn’s comments provide a clear framework for evaluating the Cardinals’ pitching situation: the team has accumulated useful depth, but it still needs higher-end talent to take the next step.
The immediate challenge is finding a realistic way to close that gap. Free agency could offer an opportunity, but financial considerations and the team’s rebuilding timeline may make internal development or trades more practical alternatives.
The progress of Leahy, Pallante and McGreevy gives the Cardinals a foundation to work with, while prospects such as Doyle and Franklin represent possible longer-term solutions. Their development will help determine how urgently the organization must pursue outside starters.
Ultimately, Lynn’s assessment does not mean that the current rotation has failed. Rather, it highlights the difference between building a group capable of competing over a full season and assembling a staff with the frontline talent typically sought by championship contenders.
For Bloom and the Cardinals, the next phase will involve deciding whether to wait for their young pitchers to develop, invest in established starters or combine both strategies. Those decisions will shape the team’s rebuilding timeline and determine how quickly St. Louis can work toward a return to October baseball.
The central takeaway: the Cardinals have pitching depth, but according to Lynn, building a rotation capable of competing for a World Series will require two frontline starters and finding them may be one of the organization’s most consequential challenges in the coming seasons.
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