Inside The Cardinals

Third Stint for Cardinals Fan-Favorite Would be Perfect

The St. Louis Cardinals should be in the market for one more bat this offseason.
Patrick McAvoy|
Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

If the St. Louis Cardinals are going to add any more pieces this offseason, the two areas the club should be looking are right-handed outfielders and bullpen arms.

The rotation is in a good place and the Cardinals are loaded with young hurlers left and right. The bullpen has gotten Ryne Stanek and Justin Bruihl this offseason, but you can never have enough veteran arms, especially if there could be a cheap deal out there in free agency.

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A right-handed bat really should be the priority with Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras gone. The Cardinals have a young team and lost a lot of leadership with Contreras, Areando, and Gray out the door. Plus Brendan Donovan has been a trade candidate throughout the offseason himself. Because of this, it wouldn't hurt to bring in a cheap veteran and there may not be a better option out there than outfielder Tommy Pham.

The Cardinals need one more bat

Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Tommy Pham
Aug 28, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Tommy Pham (28) salutes teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | Tim Vizer-Imagn Images

Pham not only is a 12-year veteran, but he already has had two different stints with the organization. Pham was selected by the Cardinals in the 16th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft and eventually made his big league debut in 2014. Pham spent the first four full seasons of his career in St. Louis and then was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in his fifth season in 2018.

The Cardinals brought Pham back in a trade with the Chicago White Sox in 2024, but designated him for assignment after 23 games.

Pham is someone who can still get it done. He played in 120 games in 2025 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and hit 10 homers and drove in 52 runs while slashing .245/.330/.370. The Cardinals need a right-handed bat and Pham is a veteran with experience already playing in St. Louis. He should be the guy the Cardinals bring in for one more season — or at least until the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline.

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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