In a surprising turn of events at the beginning of 2026, the St. Louis Cardinals made a trade that surprised both rivals and fans by officially acquiring left-handed shooter Justin Bruihl from the Cleveland Guardians for cash, opening up a potential turning point in their plans to strengthen their roster for the upcoming season.
The Cardinals confirmed in an official announcement that they acquired Justin Bruihl, 28, from the Guardians in a cash exchange. This is a rather unusual move, as Bruihl was only recently recruited by the Guardians and has not yet had the chance to establish a significant role on the team.
The Cardinals’ willingness to pay for a shooter with a history of transfers across multiple MLB teams shows they are actively seeking to strengthen their bullpen depth, particularly in the left-handed shooting group which is considered “thin” in their current roster.
Bruihl has appeared in 94 MLB games across five seasons, playing for teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Toronto Blue Jays before joining the Guardians. In his career, he has a 2–2 record with a 4.72 ERA and has shot as both a starter and a reliever. Continue reading…
