The Cardinals outrighted Thompson (lat) to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Thompson missed the entire 2025 season with a left lat strain he suffered in March. He endured several setbacks during his recovery, and it's unclear whether he will be ready for spring training. Thompson is now off the 40-man roster but will remain in the organization.
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Cardinals' Bryan Torres: Added to 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Cardinals selected Torees' contract Thursday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
The move ensures Torres won't become a minor-league free agent. The outfielder, who turns 29 in July, hasn't made his MLB debut yet. He slashed .326/.441/.456 with nine homers and 28 stolen bases in 2025 for Triple-A Memphis.
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Cardinals' Ivan Herrera: Will not be full-time catcher
Rotowire
Herrera (elbow) will return to catcher next season but is not expected to do so in a full-time capacity, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Herrera was the Cardinals' everyday designated hitter during the second half, but the plan is for him to return to catcher next season. However, while catcher is slated to be his primary position, it sounds like Herrera will still see lots of playing time in the DH slot. Jimmy Crooks is the favorite to pick up starts at catcher on days Herrera serves as the DH. Herrera underwent surgery last month to remove bone spurs from his right elbow, but he is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.
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Cardinals' Jimmy Crooks: Could share catcher with Herrera
Rotowire
Crooks could split time at catcher for the Cardinals next season with Ivan Herrera, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Herrera is slated to return to catcher in 2026 after serving as the team's primary designated hitter for the final few months of 2025. He is not expected to be used behind the plate full-time, though, leaving some reps at catcher open. Per Woo, that playing time is likelier to go to Crooks than Pedro Pages, who is a trade candidate. Crooks struggled in a cup of coffee with the Cardinals in 2025, going 6-for-45 with a 0:17 BB:K. However, the 24-year-old has been productive in the minors, having slashed .274/.337/.441 with 14 home runs last season at Triple-A Memphis.
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Cardinals' Pedro Pages: Could be odd man out at catcher
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Pages could be the odd man out at catcher for the Cardinals next season, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Pages has led the team in starts behind the plate each of the last two seasons. However, the Cardinals plan to use a combination of Ivan Herrera and Jimmy Crooks at catcher next season, leaving Pages without a clear path to playing time. The 27-year-old has minor-league options remaining, but prospect Leonardo Bernal is expected to serve as the primary catcher at Triple-A Memphis in 2026. As a result, Pages could be a trade candidate this offseason.
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Cardinals' Masyn Winn: Begins jogging after knee surgery
Rotowire
Winn has begun jogging and said the pain is gone in his surgically repaired right knee, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Winn -- who won his first National League Gold Glove on Sunday -- is just over a month removed from surgery to repair a torn meniscus and said he can already "really feel the difference" in the knee. The 23-year-old is expected to be ready to go for the start of spring training. Winn slashed a disappointing .253/.310/.363 with nine home runs and nine stolen bases across 537 plate appearances in 2025, though the downturn in his production can likely be blamed in part due to having to play through nagging soreness in his knee for several months.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Foot pain dates back multiple years
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Nootbaar -- who is recovering from Oct. 7 surgery to address deformities on both of his heels -- has dealt with discomfort in both feet off and on over the past two-and-a-half years, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nootbaar has had ongoing treatment during the season to address recurring soreness in his heels, but he elected to have surgery earlier this month with the goal of alleviating the condition. It's difficult to gauge how much the foot issues have affected Nootbaar's play, but it's notable that his sprint speed has fallen each year, from the 83rd percentile in 2021 to just the 39th percentile in 2025. The outfielder admits that the discomfort "was holding me back." Nootbaar -- who played a career-high 135 games this season but produced a career-low .686 OPS -- has not been ruled out for Opening Day next season, but because the surgery he had is uncommon, there's uncertainty regarding how long his rehab will take.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Could miss start of '26 season
Rotowire
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Sunday that Nootbaar (heels) isn't guaranteed to be available for the start of the 2026 season, Matt Pauley of 1120 AM KMOX St. Louis reports.
Nootbaar is on the mend from Oct. 7 surgery to address deformities on both of his heels. At the time the procedure was performed, the Cardinals didn't put a timeline on Nootbaar's return to full baseball activities, but Bloom's comments suggest that the outfielder could need around six months to get back to 100 percent health. Bloom noted that Nootbaar won't be hurried along in the rehab process, and even if the 28-year-old winds up on the injured list to begin the 2026 campaign, he would be shelved for only a limited amount of time. Nootbaar played in a career-high 135 games in 2025, slashing .234/.325/.361 with 13 home runs, four stolen bases, 48 RBI and 68 runs over 583 plate appearances.
Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Has surgery on both heels
Rotowire
Nootbaar underwent surgery Oct. 7 on both heels to shave down Haglund's deformities, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
It's unclear how long Nootbaar's heels have bothered him, and it's also uncertain how long his rehab is expected to take. Nootbaar finished with career highs in games played (135) and plate appearances (583) this season but posted a disappointing .234/.325/.361 batting line with 13 home runs.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Undergoes sports hernia surgery
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Donovan underwent surgery Oct. 7 to repair a sports hernia, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Donovan had dealt with a nagging groin issue for much of the second half before eventually being shut down. Last week's operation should not affect his availability for the beginning of spring training, barring any setbacks. Donovan made his first All-Star team in 2025, finishing with a .287/.353/.422 batting line, 10 home runs and 32 doubles over 118 contests.
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Cardinals' Ivan Herrera: Undergoes elbow surgery
Rotowire
Herrera underwent surgery Wednesday to have bone spurs removed from his right elbow, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
It had been reported in September that Herrera would have offseason elbow surgery after his arm had bothered him for a couple years. The procedure is considered minor and is not expected to affect his offseason workouts or readiness for spring training. Herrera slashed .284/.373/.464with 19 home runs over 107 games for the Cardinals this season. He was a full-time designated hitter during the second half, but Herrera will prepare exclusively as a catcher this offseason.
Cardinals' Gordon Graceffo: Will remain in relief role
Rotowire
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said in late September that he anticipates Graceffo remaining in a relief role next season, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Graceffo began 2025 in the rotation at Triple-A Memphis, but he was shifted to the bullpen in early May and that's where he remained for the remainder of the season, both during his time in the majors and minors. He finished with a 6.28 ERA, but a 2.93 FIP and 3.71 SIERA suggests Graceffo was unlucky from an ERA perspective. The 25-year-old plans to alter his offseason workouts as he moves to a full-time relief role, and the hope is that it will help his stuff play up.
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Tuesday that releasing Arenado is "not an option," Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
The Cardinals will do their best to trade Arenado this offseason, and Arenado has said he's willing to expand the list of teams to which he would approve a deal. However, if the club is unable to find a trade partner, it will hang on to Arenado as its starting third baseman. Arenado -- who turns 35 in April -- slashed just .237/.289/.377 with 12 home runs over 436 plate appearances in 2025 and is owed roughly $40 million over the next two seasons.
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