Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Fan-Favorite Should Be Top Priority Before Price Tag Balloons

The Cardinals should make a move in the near future
Patrick McAvoy|
Mar 6, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals hat and gloves lay in the dugout at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images
Mar 6, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals hat and gloves lay in the dugout at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals made it clear before the 2025 season that they wanted to “reset” the organization.

The Cardinals have a lot of talent, but at the time they initially said they wanted to "reset" there was a lot of trade rumors. Clearly, the Cardinals wanted to lower payroll and give younger guys an opportunity this year before Chaim Bloom fully takes over the organization after the season as the president of baseball operations.

No-traded clauses led to another story. The Cardinals didn't really trade anyone and now, the roster is pretty much the same as last year. St. Louis is still turning the reins over the Bloom after the season, but it could be a better year than initially expected once the 2024 season ended and the front office made their claim of a "reset."

Even when Bloom takes over and the team transitions, there are guys on this roster who are going to be around for a while. It's unknown what Bloom's vision is with the team as he's currently not in the president of baseball operations job. In look at his previous stops with the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays you can see a pattern of building up the farm system for sustainable success while making strategic investments in veterans at the big league level.

Boston is just starting to feel the impact of Bloom's work as the farm system is one of the best in the business and guys are transitioning to the majors now.

The Cardinals have solid veteran pieces worth investing in right now and the team should make it a priority to hand Brendan Donovan an extension before his price tag balloons.

Donovan is a guy who can play all over the diamond and he has a Gold Glove Award under his belt. His bat has been solid over the last few years, but it looks like he's taken a step forward this year, although it has been a small sample size. He's just 28 years and clearly has become a leader for the organization. This is a guy who should be invested in to help in the upcoming transition.

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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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