The St. Louis Cardinals have some work to do in the offseason. They aren’t going to be making blockbuster signings, but they can still add players to improve their roster for 2027. Year one of their rebuild was largely a success from an organizational standpoint.
They are still rebuilding, which is why they won’t make splashy moves, but they do have a foundation in place that they can soon start to supplement with some additional players. One thing they might want to look into is adding a short-term solution at third base while they wait for some of their prospects to develop.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report made predictions for where several free agents will sign, and had the Cardinals signing former Philadelphia Phillies slugger Alec Bohm.
“Bohm didn’t have a great contract season, though a settled lawsuit against his parents likely contributed to a slow start. He posted a .632 first-half OPS but rebounded to .794 after the All-Star Break,” Kelly writes.
“Bohm still drove in 88 runs, the third time in four seasons he’s driven in at least that many. Over seven seasons with the Phillies, Bohm has shown he can bring runners in, as he’s a career .314 hitter with runners in scoring position. The sample size is large enough that it’s not just a coincidence.
“The Cardinals make sense for Bohm, who is from Omaha and played collegiately at Wichita State. He can sign a multi-year deal with them, but opt out and return to the market if he has a more complete 2027.”
Alec Bohm Predicted to Join St. Louis Cardinals as Free Agent
Bohm slashed .249/.315/.383 with 15 home runs, 88 RBI, 48 walks, a .698 OPS and a 0.2 WAR. He was an All-Star for the Phillies in 2024 and has helped them reach the playoffs in five straight years, including a World Series run in 2022.
That won’t be the purpose of signing him for the Cardinals. He would simply be somebody who could fill a hole for a year or two and then give way to a developing prospect. He is still only 30 years old, so if he can rebound from 2026, he still may have a few more good years left in him.
Busch Stadium does tend to zap home runs, but if he can get back to hitting doubles consistently, then he could very easily be somebody who boosts the lineup in terms of run production, so there are some benefits to signing him.
The Downside
With that being said, however, there come significant risks. His defense at third base needs work, and the Cardinals aren’t going to play him at first base because they already have Alec Burleson there, who lead Major League Baseball in RBI this season.
They wouldn’t exactly be getting somebody who can replicate what Nolan Arenado does defensively, and his struggles at the plate cannot be ignored.
If they’re looking for more power out of third base, they wouldn’t necessarily be getting that either because Busch Stadium tends to prevent the home run ball, so it will be interesting to see if the Cardinals view him as a fit.
Cardinals Predicted to Sign Former Phillies All-Star as Free Agent