Cardinals May Already Have Solution to Right-Handed Bat Problem

The solution may already be in house.

Mar 3, 2017; West Palm Beach, FL, USA; A view of St. Louis Cardinals hats and gloves on the steps of the dugout in the game against the Washington Nationals at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals might ultimately be done making moves this offseason. They traded four former All-Stars and signed two veteran pitchers while focusing on the future and rebuilding. 2026 might not be the type of year that Cardinals fans are used to.

They've finished under .500 two of the last three years and desperately needed a reset. But for a while, they were looking for a right-handed bat, but Derrick Goold reported earlier this week that they were focusing more on internal options.

Will Leitch of MLB.com echoed that sentiment, saying that options like Randal Grichuk and Tommy Pham were unlikely, and floating two solid internal options.

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Who could be Cards RH bat solution?

Sep 17, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Thomas Saggese (25) fields a grounder up the middle by Cincinnati Reds outfielder Noelvi Marte (not shown) in the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | Tim Vizer-Imagn Images

"It had been thought the Cardinals might bring in a veteran like Randal Grichuk or Tommy Pham (both former Cardinals), but it doesn’t look like that’s the plan. There have been rumblings that Thomas Saggese could get some outfield reps, and [Ivan] Herrera -- if he’s not the Opening Day catcher or DH -- could play out there as well," Leitch wrote.

Herrera took reps in left field before the trade deadline last year, and while the experiment was unsuccessful at first, now is a good time to give it a try again, especially with the Cardinals in the middle of a rebuild.

This would allow them to use Nolan Gorman as a designated hitter and make Pedro Pages the starting catcher, while also potentially carrying Yohel Pozo or Jimmy Crooks as the backup. Saggese has never taken reps in the outfield, but it could be a way to get his bat in the lineup every day and have more flexibility in the outfield.

Another option Leitch floated was prospect Joshua Baez, but he still has a ways to go before he makes it to the big leagues. What they already have at the Major League level though could be exactly what they need.

They then wouldn't have to go out and spend any more money on an aging veteran and instead focus solely on the youth movement. It will be interesting to see who emerges from the competition, but the Cardinals actually have a lot more options than what originally meets the eye, and they are solid options too.

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