Cardinals Fan-Favorite Emerges For Mets After Kyle Tucker Miss

It's been a wild 24 hours across Major League Baseball.

Two of the very top free agents of the offseason have now agreed to terms on deals. Four-time All-Star Kyle Tucker agreed to terms on a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night. The New York Mets were in the mix for Tucker and missed out and pivoted to infielder Bo Bichette on Friday afternoon.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

The ice has thawed and with just a few weeks to go until Spring Training, these are starting to move. Now, Tucker, Bichette, and Alex Bregman are all off the board. We should start to see more movement as fallback options start to find new homes. This is the time for the St. Louis Cardinals to strike. There are a few guys the club should consider in free agency, but more so the club should capitalize on the desperation of teams that have missed out on the top free agents.

The Cardinals should get the Mets on the phone ASAP

Aug 31, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (21) high fives teammates after scoring on a sacrifice fly out hit by designated hitter Ivan Herrera (not pictured) in the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Specifically, the Cardinals should have the Mets on the phone as fast as possible. They landed Bichette on Friday, but they have more holes. ESPN's Jorge Castillo shared a look at the Mets early on Friday before they got Bichette and noted that the Mets will be in the market for an outfielder and starting pitcher. They specifically mentioned Lars Nootbaar as an alternative option after missing on Kyle Tucker.

"The Mets are going to acquire an outfielder and starting pitcher," Castillo wrote. "Who, exactly, is unclear. Their top choice among the available outfielders was Tucker, the consensus top free agent on the market, whom they offered a competitive short-term contract before he joined the two-time defending World Series champions. Tucker wasn't a clean fit -- he bats left-handed, graded out as a below-average defender last season and plays the same position as Juan Soto -- but Stearns believed his offensive skill set warranted overlooking those flaws.

"The other obvious free agent option is Cody Bellinger, a better and more versatile defender with a lower offensive ceiling. The Yankees want to re-sign Bellinger, but the two sides are in a stalemate over contract length; the Yankees have offered him a five-year contract, but Bellinger wants seven years. Other cheaper alternatives include former Met Harrison Bader in free agency or acquiring an outfielder like Lars Nootbaar via trade."

Nootbaar had surgery on both of his heels this offseason. It's unclear exactly how much time he will miss in 2026, if any. He has two seasons of team control left. If the Cardinals could catch the Mets while they're still desperate for an outfielder and poach one of the team's young pitching prospects in a package, that would be ideal. Maybe someone like Mets No. 5 prospect Brandon Sproat, perhaps, if the Cardinals added more to a package around Nootbaar.

More MLB: Where Cardinals Can Pivot After Trading Nolan Arenado