The St. Louis Cardinals always seem to find a way to refresh their roster whenever a prominent player leaves. The Cardinals saw one prominent infielder depart, but they replaced him by trading for Colorado’s Nolan Arenado through one of the top trades this offseason.
The Cardinals are the clear favorite to win the NL Central, especially since the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs have been selling off some of their assets or letting their most valuable players walk.
This look at the MLB free agency efforts from the Cardinals shows that the team is aiming to contend in 2021 for not only the NL Central but also for the World Series.
We have signed OF Matt Szczur to a minor league deal with an invite to major league camp.
Szczur, 31, last appeared in the Majors with the Padres in 2018 and spent 2019 in the Diamondbacks organization. pic.twitter.com/ZpHPkXJ9V4
— Cardinals Player Development (@CardsPlayerDev) February 14, 2021
Additions to Spot
The most prominent addition for the Cardinals came from the team acquiring third baseman Nolan Arenado from the Colorado Rockies. But he’s not the only new face on the Cards’ roster this season.
Catcher Tyler Heineman joins the team from the San Francisco Giants. He had a .190 average last season, but he might contend with Andrew Knizner for the starting position. There’s doubt that Yadier Molina will return, and the team isn’t looking to resign Matt Wieters.
The team also kept Adam Wainwright on the roster. The starting pitcher went 5-3 with a 3.15 ERA and 54 strikeouts. Wainwright will likely appear behind Jack Flaherty and Kwang Hyun Kim on the team’s roster.
The Cardinals brought in two infield prospects who might make it to St. Louis this season. The Cardinals acquired Max Moroff from the New York Mets and Jose Rondon from the Baltimore Orioles. Both players are expected to start with the AAA Memphis Redbirds, but they could both make it to the bench in St. Louis later.
There’s also the chance they could be used as trade pieces if necessary, especially since the rotation may need help if Dakota Hudson can’t come back from his surgery from last season.
Departures to See
The Cardinals let a few players move on during the MLB free agency period. Catcher Yadier Molina and Matt Wieters have left the team, and it is expected that Molina will retire.
Relief pitches Brett Cecil and Tony Cingrani also left the club, although the Cards will have Tyler Webb and Daniel Ponce de Leon to replace him.
Infielder Brad Miller left the team this offseason and has yet to sign elsewhere. The Cardinals will likely bring up third base prospect Nolan Gorman at some point this season, although he will start the season with the AA Springfield Cardinals on the other end of the state.
The Cardinals also declined a club option on second baseman Kolten Wong. He had a .265 average with sixteen RBI last season. Fellow second baseman Max Schrock also left for the Chicago Cubs, although he underperformed last season with a .176 average. Tommy Edman will likely be the team’s new second baseman unless some of the team’s young prospects can get to the club first.
What to See Through the Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals will be an interesting team in 2021, as their trade for Arenado shows how competitive the club will be this season. The team’s decision to move on from Molina will be noteworthy, and the club’s rotation aims to improve from last season as it aims to be more well-rounded this year.
Expect the Cardinals to have a good run in the NL Central this season, although there might not be much competition for them in that division. Where they will go beyond that is uncertain, but they will be a good contender to watch for in 2021 and beyond.
The MLB season is almost upon us! If you are like us, then you are counting down the days until the season opener. But until then, make sure you check out our MLB hub page, for all the latest on what’s going on in baseball.
Image by: pixy.org
