The Cardinals’ offseason is focused mostly on the players they’re trading away. Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras have already been shipped out, and it’s possible that each of Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado and JoJo Romero will also find themselves on the move. That doesn’t mean they won’t make some short-term pickups. They’ve added Dustin May on a $12.5MM deal in the rotation, and president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom identified a profile they’re pursuing on the position player side.
Bloom told reporters that the Cardinals would like to add an outfielder, ideally one who brings right-handed power (links via John Denton of MLB.com and Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch). That’s an indirect consequence of the Contreras trade. Alec Burleson only made 38 starts at first base this past season. That’s likely to rise in 2026, as Bloom implied that Burleson could replace Contreras as the primary first baseman. Burleson made 72 starts in the corner outfield and 18 at designated hitter.
St. Louis has Lars Nootbaar and Jordan Walker as their projected corner outfield tandem. Nootbaar is down to two years of arbitration control and could be traded this offseason. Walker was a well below replacement level performer in 2025 and still has a minor league option remaining. A righty corner bat could also spell lefty hitters Burleson and Iván Herrera at first base and designated hitter, respectively.
There aren’t a ton of options remaining in free agency. The Cards could kick the tires on a one-year deal for Miguel Andujar or Austin Hays, each of whom is coming off a big season with the platoon advantage. Old friend Tommy Pham is coming off a middling season against lefties but carries a .261/.368/.434 line in those situations over his career. Chas McCormick hasn’t hit in either of the past two years. He has a 20-homer season with a .273/.353/.489 showing in 2023 on his résumé.
The Cardinals could also look into a switch-hitting utility option like Willi Castro or Luis Rengifo. They’d have the added benefit of being able to fill in at second or third base if the Cardinals line up Donovan and/or Arenado trades. Nolan Gorman would be in line for the bulk of the third base playing time if Arenado is moved. Top prospect JJ Wetherholt should be up as the everyday second baseman at some point, assuming they trade Donovan, but the 23-year-old seems likely to open the season in Triple-A.
The Cardinals and everyone else.
Castro makes sense. He can keep Wetherholt down to start the year while also backing up center. 1 year deal if he bounces back he can be traded at the deadline and Joshua Baez could take his place.
I loved Pham’s passion when he was first with the Cardinals. But please no. Not on a young team.
All of those innocent young minds just waiting for Pham to come in and turn everyone into a degenerate…
Old friends Tommy Pham and Harrison Bader are still available. Bader probably wants a multi-year deal so he’s not a realistic target, but Pham is in his mercenary years, he could fit.
Nick C. for a bag of balls and 10M dollars from the Phillies.
Casty isn’t worth the bag of balls let alone actual money, plus he hates the Cardinals so that wouldn’t work
First part was only stated Nick isn’t wanted by anyone because he showed how worthless he is as well as a cancer to any clubhouse lol. Beggars ya know can’t be choosers except no one picking Nick.
Actually the cardinals hate Castellanos more so it’s mutually unlikely. Pham ship sailed also, had literally one good moment (pinch hit grand slam) when he returned last year, then stunk big time and was sent packing.
Walker was below replacement level, even with dramatically improved defense, which just shows how truly bad he was. Belongs in AAA if he has any shot at being salvaged.
The options listed in this post are pretty terrible. Maybe overpay Bader just to throw the fans a scrap (not happening).
Rebuilding gonna suck after all these semi-fun trades to the Red Sox ware off.
Nick flexing on that woodford guy was the highlight of his reds tenure imo
That would mean the Cardinals would be paying Castellanos $10M, which is way too much.
This would have to be $15M.
Trade you Ramos for Donavon, shoot, I’m sure we can throw in a pitcher or two. Lol
Donavan would be a good pickup, but trading Ramos would be a huge mistake. We’re not trading our first homegrown All Star in over 30 years, and the only RH hitter to ever be able to hit a splash hit in Oracle Park. That type of stuff is potentially literally a legend in the making.
I wonder if they could turn Jose Fermin into a left fielder to go along with his infield utility appeal.
He’s hit in the minors but hasn’t had a chance at the MLB level. What would it hurt ?
Saggese could be another option for that too.
I could see Fermin and Saggese playing a little left field, but they really need a right-handed hitter who plays centerfield. Vic Scott needs a platoon partner more than Burly.
I was surprised that they weren’t in on Refsnyder for a one year deal.
They very well could have been or planned to.
If you are a future ex-Yankee HOFer where would you play, 100ish games on a rebuild or 70ish on a contender, in your waning years?
He probably didn’t want to wait around comparing offers so he took the best offer a future ex-Yankee HOFer would get. Which will double his last 4 years of earnings so he did pretty good.
Birds wouldnt have got anywhere close to what he got anyways.
I’d like them to sign Hays.
Justin Henry Malloy just DNF from Tigers young, has a decent eye. Fielding not so much but passable in left. Tigers never really gave him a solid shot. Braves prospect once apon a time.
Cardinals cannot figure out if they are selling or buying…
lol can’t you read they have to still field a team. They are selling and going with a youth movement. Go be a homer somewhere else
They are left handed heavy. Trying to give the young players playing time. Burleson is playing 1st. Jordan Walker was abysmal in right field. He’s right handed. If he flames out again cards need a right handed batter. They have a plethora of lefties. They are in a complete rebuild…
I’m not a Cardinals fan so I’ll ask here: what are the chances of them moving Jordan Walker? Is it still a definite no or is there actually a chance of it?
I highly doubt they’d be eager to move him when his value is at its lowest, but if I’m another team I’d have interest in him while he’s still 23 and hope he just needs a change of scenery. Maybe Bloom would be more willing to move him than Mozeliak, but I recognize that they’re not going anywhere next year and probably have no issue giving him a full season of at bats to figure it out. That said, he at least still has some value and another year of this would eliminate whatever is left.
And yes, I know he has an option year left but spending it shuttling back and forth from Memphis would just mean we have this conversation next offseason instead of right now.
He’s still too young to give up on, especially when the next two years are projected to be non competitive. He will be put in RF to work through his issues, plus they don’t have anymore right handed bats to take his place until Baez gets up there in two years
I agree with Payne Train. Walker will get at least one more year. Everyone kept saying the kinds of changes he needs to make could only happen in the off-season. Walker is going to have all eyes on him this spring.
Baez may push Walker as early as 2027.
The trading isn’t done, so there may be other hitters to challenge holdovers like Walker, Gorman, Scott, etc.
Mariners send victor Robbles and a prospect or two for Donovan!!!!
That’s amusing.
lol apparently once again youth movement and that the cardinals want pitching. Donavan is worth more than that lol
You’ve been smoking that funny stuff again!
Robles, along with Jurrangelo Cijntje, and Logan Evans would be fair.
Herrera bats right?
Yes . Him , Winn and Walker that’s it. Aranado but they are trying to move him again . JJ is coming up to play 3rd ( probably) . He’s a lefty also . Heck I think the manager is too ..
Yeah, but he’s probably the only good right-handed bat in the starting lineup.
(I’m not counting Arenado. He’ll be traded with $30 million for a bag of balls sometime over the next month or two.)
Are there any teams that are not looking for a right handed outfielder?
Austin Hays or Harrison Bader
Problem solved…
What’s the next issue?
Those two are expected to sign for more than the Cardinals will want to spend. They’ll be shopping in the bargain bin for a right-handed hitting centerfielder.
Probably cost too much and will want multiple years, ill pass
Nick C. and 10M is worth the risk. If he has a god 1st half the Cards can swing him at the deadline for a prospect.
He is a negative 1 plus WAR player that can’t play defense and has an awful attitude, the exact opposite player that the Cardinals are looking for.
Everyone expects him to be released from his contract and someone will pick him up at league Min as a DH
does he have an awful attitude? maybe, but the Phillies FO has now had public discord with Harper Strahm and Castellanos all within the past six months.
If they swapped Nado for Casty while sending back a Moises Chase then maybe but I still don’t see it.
As long as it isn’t that cancer Tommy Pham I’m good with whomever.
He’s misunderstood. In his time in Philadelphia he had (1) bad interaction when the manager wanted to replace him defensively. I don’t think Nick is a bad guy, it was a humbling moment and he thinks he is better than that. He does work hard at his defense and offense. I think a midwest team is better for him. Less media, less scrutiny. He has a ton of baseball experience and I think his work ethic is good for younger players to see. The hard work might not be reflected in his defensive metrics but he puts in the effort. He carried the team through multiple playoff series.
Cambo, are you secretly Nick himself lol
And if the Phillies took on that Arenado contract….
Tyler O’Neil.
Mountcastle might be an interesting add. Could thrive in a new league until the pitchers figure him out. Part of a deal for Romero maybe?
Maybe a young outfielder will come back in one of the trades that are forthcoming. Malloy also got dfa’d. He might be worth a flyer