What was your favorite Cardinals Busch Stadium memory from 2026?

As the Cardinals close out their 2026 home season at Busch Stadium on Sunday, there was a lot to look back on from the previous seven months. It was a year that probably didn’t end as well as they would have liked, but offered hope for the future. Rob Rains took the above photo from his perch in the press box.

The Cardinals’ 5-3 win over the Nationals gave them a 38-43 record at Busch. They drew a crowd of 27,814 for the final game, bringing their home attendance for the season to just over 2.3 million, an average of 27,519 fans per game. With six road games remaining in 2026, the Cardinals will need to win five of them to avoid having back-to-back losing seasons, in a full year, since 1958 and 1959.

One of the highlights of the season was seeing the debut of so many young players, included pitcher Quinn Mathews, who started on Sunday. Another rookie, Leo Bernal, hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning in the final game, a season that began with rookie JJ Wetherholt hitting a home run in his MLB debut on opening day.

“And the ‘Tarps Off’ group really increased the buzz at the ballpark,” said Rob Rains.

While the team isn’t finishing the way they wanted, the players provided so many individual memories for the season.

“As far as my top memories of Busch this season, Wetherholt hitting a home run in his debut on opening day is up there,” Rains said. “It seems like it was a long time ago, but it was definitely one of the highlights of the season at Busch Stadium this year.”

Other fans felt the same way about the Wetherholt debut.

“My favorite memory was Opening Day – the comeback and J J home run,” said longtime Cardinals fan Carrie Launius.

And some memories don’t come from just the game itself. They happen with the people you go with or the reason behind getting the tickets.

“The Cardinals bullpen tried their best to ruin a perfect Saturday afternoon on April 25, 2026, by giving up 11 runs to the Mariners—but our family had a secret weapon,” said Jennifer Luner who was with her husband Lee Hastings. “Our great-nephew, Matt Luner from Craig Elementary, crushed his performance of ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame.’ With his parents, brother, all four grandparents, and Lee and me in the stands, it was a spectacular family affair. The Cards lost a wild 11-9 game, but Matt definitely won the day.”

When looking back on big moments in the Cardinals season, Rains pointed out many did not occur at Busch in front of the home crowd.

“A lot of the other big highlight games – Joshua Baez hitting three homers in his MLB debut, Alec Burleson hitting three homers at Yankee Stadium, Jordan Walker winning the Home Run Derby, all happened on the road,” Rains said. “The Hall of Fame induction of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina also is definitely on the list of highlights from this season at Busch.”

With all of the exciting things that happened, some fans thought the downtown attendance looked lower.

“I talked to the owner of one of the bars next to the stadium and they are very concerned about the smaller crowds and possible lockout,” said Tara McMahon, who with her husband Joe wee at the final game. “She told me they are barely keeping their heads above water as business has been down all year.”

Many of the smaller venues near the ballpark rely on the baseball season to stay in business.

“I’d hate to see them close,” said McMahon. “Too many of the little bars and restaurants already have.”

She took the photo, left on the last game of the season right at game time. She also posted photos of a bar she went to that was fairly empty and one of many empty seats before the game. As it got closer to game time more people did show up.

The McMahons have been loyal fans throughout the season and plan to continue, which is why she hopes other fans continue supporting the downtown businesses. She said her enthusiasm stems from the players.

“These kids are fighters and fearless,” she said. “They don’t give up. Of course they have a lot to learn, but they are scrappers. They may be young but they never give up. I hope they get some help with the relievers.”

She was very happy with the outcome of the last home game.

“We were hoping the final ‘good-bye’ would be one that would leave us with a smile, and it did,” she told us. “The season has been both surprising in that we did much better than anyone expected, and frustrating as our pitching (notably the bullpen) struggled. The team looked great on Sunday.”

“The Cardinals sold about as many tickets to home games this year as they did last season,” said Rains. “There is much more optimism among the fans with the product the team is putting on the field. The performance of Walker, Wetherholt, Baez and Bernal offers more promise for next season than the team has had in recent years, but the possibility of a lockout looming over the off-season I think still is hurting the way fans feel about the team.”

The lockout is definitely on peoples’ minds as they decide about getting tickets for next year or making plans for spring training, but many are looking forward to next season so they can see how these players are going to play next year. The next scheduled game at Busch is April 1, 2027, the home opener against Kansas City.

“It’s always a little strange to end the home season when there is still a week left of games on the road so it’s not really the end of the season,” said Rains. “It is kind of the same feeling as when the team plays it’s home opener after already playing a week of games on the road – makes it seem kind of anti-climatic.”

JJ Wetherholt hitting in the last home game of the season, Su. Sept. 20, 2026. (Photo by Tara McMahon)

10 Cardinals Events at Busch Stadium That Made 2026 Memorable

JJ Wetherholt’s Opening Day MLB debut — March 26. He hit his first MLB home run for his first big-league hit.
More excitement for Wetherholt as he walks it off in his second MLB game — March 28. Two days after his debut homer, Wetherholt delivered a two-run walk-off single in the 10th inning to beat Tampa Bay 6-5. Michael McGreevy also threw six no-hit innings that afternoon.
The “Tarps Off” phenomenon started May 15 when the Club Baseball Team from Stephen F. Austin University came to the game and decided to take their shirts off in what began the “Tarps Off” craze. Yohel Pozo had an 11^th inning walk-off hit against the Royals which just topped off the night.
Iván Herrera’s three-run walk-off homer in the 10^th on May 19 gave the Cardinals a 9-6 win over the Pirates. The Tarps Off group was back at Busch and added to the excitement.
Lars Nootbaar returned to Busch Stadium on June 6 and crushed his first home run of the season.
Dustin May’s one-hit shutout on June 15. May took a perfect-game into the seventh inning, finishing up with a one-hit shutout over San Diego, 3-0.
Jimmy Crooks hit a home run to win a rain delayed game that lasted past midnight on July 10 against the Braves.
Quinn Mathews had his Busch Stadium debut, on August 28, recording a victory over Pittsburgh.
The 2006 World Champions were honored on September 11, with more than 30 members of the team in attendance for a 20th-anniversary celebration, complete with a pregame motorcade and ceremony.
The Big Cardinals Hall-Of-Fame Ceremony was moved to Busch when Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and the late Bill Sherdel were inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame on September 12.

“The Cardinals end the season with a losing record at home, which is always disappointing,” said Rains. “And for the fourth consecutive year they will be home for the playoffs. the longest stretch without a playoff appearance since they had an eight-year drought from 1988 to 1995. For the team to really bring the fans back to Busch they have to start winning again, especially at home.”

To read Rains’ game report: CLICK HERE.

To hear Oli Marmol and various players’ postgame interviews: CLICK HERE.