The St. Louis Cardinals are going to make plenty of changes this winter.
St. Louis’ roster likely will get a serious face-lift this winter and at this point, no one is a guarantee to return in 2025. The Cardinals have a solid mix of great veterans and up-and-coming young players. Everyone seemingly is on the table.
There likely will be multiple trades on the way for St. Louis. MLB Trade Rumors’ Steve Adams put together a list of the top 35 trade candidates this winter and had plenty of Cardinals on his list. Adams had veteran starting pitcher Erick Fedde as the third-best trade candidate in baseball.
“Fedde might not be quite as much of a lock as Helsley to move, but he’s not far behind,” Adams said. “The former first-round pick washed out after several injury-plagued years with the Nats but reinvented himself in the Korea Baseball Organization in 2023, taking home KBO MVP honors in a dominant showing. He returned to MLB on a two-year, $15MM deal with the White Sox that looked like a bargain almost immediately…
“The team’s priorities have changed, and they can now recoup some young talent by peddling Fedde on the heels of 177 1/3 innings of 3.30 ERA ball, during which time he punched out 21.2% of opponents against a 7.2% walk rate. Fedde isn’t an ace and might not be quite as good as that 3.30 ERA suggests, but he’s a clear No. 3 or 4 starter who’s being paid like a reclamation project. He’ll generate a lot of interest, and since he’s a free agent after 2025, there’s no reason for a retooling Cardinals club to hang onto him.
St. Louis acquired Fedde at the trade deadline, but it doesn’t sound like his time with the Cardinals will last long.
Cardinals players’ quotes give fans reason for optimism in 2024
Cardinals brass and players have shown disappointment in how the 2023 season went. Optimism abounds for the 2024 season.
For every reason there is to be disappointed about the results of the 2023 season for the Cardinals, there are just as many reasons to be optimistic for the 2024 season. This past year was a wake-up call for fans, players, management, and ownership. However, fans still have a reason for hope in 2024. John Mozeliak and Bill DeWitt Jr. are in lockstep when it comes to plans for the offseason. A return to the playoffs is expected in 2024.
Paired with management’s aspirations for greater things in 2024 is the players’ desire to return to the franchise’s winning ways. Willson Contreras, Paul Goldschmidt, and Lars Nootbaar have already been outspoken about a desire to win in 2024. The division should be within reach assuming the players are healthy and the management signs pitchers.
Derrick Goold of the Post Dispatch recently published a piece showing the players’ frustrations. Willson Contreras stated, “We have to come in next year motivated because we finished this year in last place. That is a bad feeling”. Contreras joined the Redbirds due to their storied history and a desire to fill the shoes of a legend in Yadier Molina. His competitive spirit should be a motivator in 2024.
Paul Goldschmidt is a leader on the team. His work ethic and talent are undeniable, and players in the locker room look towards him for encouragement. According to Goold, Goldschmidt states, “We’re preparing to win championships. I don’t think that will ever change with this organization.” His confidence and desire to win a championship is an indication of optimism for next season.
Lastly, Lars Nootbaar’s disappointment was also evident in some quotes he had at the end of the year. Nootbaar stated that it was tough to watch teams such as Atlanta and Philadelphia celebrate while the Cardinals were left dejected.
Having a “fired up” Nootbaar should spell danger for opposing teams in 2024. Assuming Contreras, Goldy, Nootbaar, and Oli Marmol follow through on their desire to win, the Cardinals should perform well next year. Let’s hope 2024 is the “revenge season” for the Birds on the Bat.
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