The St. Louis Cardinals can finally get to work on their offseason after missing the postseason for the fourth consecutive year. This offseason likely won't feature a lot of trades of veteran players like last year's did. That part of the rebuild has essentially already been taken care of.

This winter, the Cardinals can potentially be more active in free agency. That doesn't mean they're going to pursue big names, but they still have things they can accomplish to make the team better in 2027.

Here is a ranking of their priorities in free agency from lowest to highest as the offseason begins.

Lowest: Third Base

The Cardinals could use a little help at third base with Nolan Arenado now gone. They didn't get much production out of Nolan Gorman, and while Thomas Saggese and Blaze Jordan showed promise, they may not be the long-term solutions the Cardinals are looking for.

However, it's important to remember that they are still rebuilding. That doesn't mean they can't do something about third base, but they still have internal options that could be ready by 2028, including Jesus Baez, so banking on the future may make more sense than pursuing a short-term solution.

Luis Arraez and Alec Bohm could be options if they go outside the organization.

Middle: Starting rotation

The Cardinals starting rotation was mostly successful in 2026. It wasn't exactly dominant, but it did keep them in games and give them a chance to win every day. A veteran starter should be something they look into as the offseason kicks off.

Last year, they went with Dustin May after trading Sonny Gray, and since he is a free agent again, he would be an ideal fit for what they are trying to do. They could potentially look into Shane Bieber as well, but adding somebody who is looking to rebuild his value would benefit the rotation, as well as give the team a veteran to learn from. May filled that role nicely until he was traded to the eventual World Series champion Milwaukee Brewers.

Highest: Bullpen

The bullpen was the biggest achilles heel for St. Louis in 2026. Even Riley O'Brien, who led the National League in saves ran out of gas at the end of the year. Perhaps somebody who is capable of closing could be on their radar as they try to take some of the pressure off of the right-hander.

With JoJo Romero gone, they'll likely need a left-handed reliever as well. With a better bullpen, the Cardinals can take steps forward and potentially contend for a little bit longer than they ultimately did. It doesn't mean they'll automatically be a playoff team, but it can lead to better results in 2027.