The Cardinals ought to adopt strategies akin to those employed by the Cubs during the off-season this year.
Here's a more walkable, colorful rewrite:
Swiping Stars: The Cardinals Should Copy the Cubs' Blockbuster Moves
Dang, I'd never thought I'd be saying this, but it's time for the St. Louis Cardinals to take a few pages out of the Chicago Cubbies' playbook. Sure, they've had some stellar seasons, but they ain't got that fiery hunger for a World Series ring that the Cubs have been cooking up lately. If the Cards wanna secure their spot as a powerhouse, they gotta swing for the fences like the Cubbies did last offseason.
Remember when those Chicago boys came up short with an 83-79 record, not too different from the Cards' 2024 season? But fear not, they got creative, and like wise guys will do, they targeted a bonafide superstar in Kyle Tucker. They exchanged some juicy prospects for the outfielder, and voila, they've become World Series contenders this year.
Now, don't get it twisted—trading for a talent like Tucker ain't your usual Cardinals' move. They've got a knack for snagging end-of-their-prime superstars at bargain prices—Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado ring a bell? But grabbing a player like Tucker, who's a leg up on Heyward and Ozuna, even back in those trade days, is a different ball game.
Take a gander at the players they traded for Heyward and Ozuna—Cards' ace Shelby Miller and a package of promising prospects. Heyward slashed a 7 bWAR season RBI campaign for the Cards in 2015, and although he left the Cardinals for Old Town team (and let's face it, who could blame him?), the Cardinals did apparently offer him a fatter check than Chicago did.
Ozuna, unfortunately, had a lackluster stint with the Cards, but since he left, he's been the nasty stick everybody hoped he'd be. Tucker is cuttin' a similar profile in the Cubs' lineup this season, smashing the ball and earnin' himself a spot among the league's elite.
With Tucker sittin' pretty in the middle of that Cubs' batting order, their offense has surged from mediocre to elite—ranking top 3 in batting average, slugging percentage, wRC+, and wOBA. They ain't your average Joe's team no more; they've got a lineup packin' a punch, with the likes of Tucker, Crow-Armstrong, Suzuki, Busch, and Kelly warranting fear in any pitcher's heart.
Oh, and did I mention that they've got four more bats that don't exactly make pitchers' lives any easier?
Comparatively, the Cards' lineup ain't exactly shabby—with Herrera, Donovan, Nootbaar, Winn, Arenado, Burleson, Contreras, and Scott II all production machines in their way. But, let's face it, they're a tier below the Cubs, and even though Herrera's bat could be that producer long-term, it'll take more than him to enter the elite leagues.
So what's a Cardinal-lovin', World Series-hankerin' fan to do? Simple: St. Louis should get all up in that trade game and go for a bonafide, top-shelf stick. Rumor has it that one Rafael Devers might be a perfect fit.
Now, I ain't predictin' anything here, boys and girls, but lemme give you the lowdown on this fella. Comin' into the season, Red Sox Nation had World Series buzz, and with Bloom's farm system and established players already stackin' up, it seemed like a done deal. Unfortunately, controversies surrounding Devers have sorta dimmed their hopes.
But fear not, 'cause Bloom, the mastermind behind those Red Sox deals, is still in the mix. Perhaps his connection with Devers combined with a fresh start could be a perfect match for all parties. Devers is a year 3 of the ten-year, $313 million dollar contract that Bloom helped broker, and at 28, he's the same age as Tucker. Despite the controversies, he's outperformin' Tucker so far, with a .291/.413/.523 slash line, 12 home runs, 52 RBI, and a 159 wRC+. The Sox might struggle to let him go, but if they've reached a breaking point, the Cardinals should be ready to pounce.
Addin' Devers to the middle of the Cardinals' order would beef up their lineup to levels never seen before, with a potential lineup:
- LF Lars Nootbaar
- SS Masyn Winn
- 3B Rafael Devers
- 1B Willson Contreras
- DH Ivan Herrera
- 2B Brendan Donovan
- RF Jordan Walker/Alec Burleson
- C Pedro Pages
- CF Victor Scott II
It's early days yet, but with the Bloom era kickin' off, this could be just the start of many more moves. The key for the Cardinals is to maintain that hunger for greatness, and a big, bold move like this could be just the ticket. As the season heats up, the Cardinals should keep their eyes on the prize and make a play for players like Devers—bringin' in a player like him could craft a lineup that rivals even top-ranked ones in the league.
Now, they gotta work out how to move Arenado's contract, but hey, a World Series ring is worth a little financial hassle, right? Right?
Enrichment Insights:The Cardinals have several potential trade candidates for the upcoming offseason, including Steven Matz, Ryan Helsley, Erick Fedde, and Sonny Gray. Some of these players are pending free agents, while others are under contract, with Matz and Helsley being impending free agents and Fedde and Gray under contract. The Cardinals' trade decisions may hinge on their performance and their desire to maintain a competitive roster during the 2025 season. The trade for Kyle Tucker by the Chicago Cubs is less directly comparable to the potential trades the Cardinals might pursue due to Tucker's long-term contract and the significant talent involved.
- Echoing the Cubs' bold strategy last offseason, the Cardinals could enhance their chances of securing a World Series ring by targeting a top-tier player like Rafael Devers, a contender for the league's elite, just like Kyle Tucker became for the Cubs.
- Should the Cardinals decide to trade for Devers, their lineup would transform into a formidable force, challenging even the top-ranked ones in the MLB, with a potential batting order that features Devers, Herrera, Donovan, Nootbaar, Arenado, and more.
