Cardinals Would Be Smart to Keep Exploring Offensive Upgrades

The options are thin.

Aug 22, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of the scoreboard as they announce today’s attendance during the eighth inning of a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have had a busy offseason. They found new homes for all four of their major trade chips and have essentially ripped the band-aid off to begin their rebuild under Chaim Bloom. They still have some holes in the roster to address though. More specifically, they need outfield help.

With Lars Nootbaar likely to begin the season on the injured list, they need somebody to take over in left field for the time being. They have internal options, but those are relatively thin at the moment.

They had been looking for a right-handed outfield bat, but have seemingly stopped their pursuit in hopes of allowing Thomas Saggese and Jose Fermin to compete for time in those spots. However, this is an approach that may backfire for Bloom, and he would be smart to keep looking for some offensive help.

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Cardinals still need help

Sep 20, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals outfielder Randal Grichuk (15) slaps hands with Kansas City Royals first base coach Damon Hollins (39) after getting on first base during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

While there is nothing wrong with seeing what they have in house, the Cardinals need somebody more proven. They added a few right-handed bats via waivers and minor league deals, but that may not be enough?

There are a lot of question marks in the outfield, and there are also a lot of left-handed bats on the roster. The Cardinals may be rebuilding and taking a step back from contention, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't add a piece or two to round out the roster.

Still available for platoon roles are former Cardinals Tommy Pham and Randal Grichuk, both of whom would be temporary one-year solutions and possible trade chips at the deadline, as the Cardinals will likely be sellers in the coming months.

But there just aren't that many solid options in house at the moment, and it remains to be seen how long Nootbaar will be out. It certainly wouldn't hurt to make one more addition.

The Cardinals may not be a contender, but they still need to fill holes on the roster. They have a good young core, but another veteran addition would make a lot of sense as they focus on building for the future.

It will be interesting to see if the Cardinals end up adding a piece. They would be wise to keep exploring the trade and free agent markets before Opening Day.

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