2 right-handed bats in free agency that fit the Cardinals' needs

During the first day of the Cardinals' Winter Warm-Up, much of the focus was on Nolan Arenado and what the prospective of a trade is looking like at the moment. However, something that may be lost in the shuffle was Mozeliak's comment about the possibility of adding a right-handed bat, specifically one who can provide some thump. This also roughly lines up with Derrick Goold's report during the season about the Cardinals targeting a "tent pole bat" in the offseason. While they won't be adding a bat that fits anywhere near that criteria, there may be some moves to make along the margins that can impact this lineup.

WARNING. Using the constraints of payroll and available talent, these "right-handed power bats" may not be what you have in mind and may be a little gross so bear with me.

Austin Hays

Hays did not have a great season in 2024 as he slashed .255/.303/.396, good for a 98 wRC+. He was traded to the Phillies from Baltimore at the deadline but missed a good chunk of the season as he was dealing with a kidney infection, hamstring strain, and calf strain. Having a solid track record prior to this year, I'd be willing to take Hays on as a bounce-back candidate as he tries to rebuild his value.

Hays has a career 99 wRC+ against RHP, but a 120 wRC+ against LHP. This could create a very nice platoon in a corner outfield spot with Alec Burleson.

Defensively, Hays isn't too great which may be concerning for a team already having Burleson and Jordan Walker seeing significant time in the field. I expect Burleson to DH more often, and I also expect Walker to take some notable steps as a defender. One thing Hays does have going for him though, is his arm. Hays has a very strong arm which gives a little sigh of relief on the idea of stashing him in right here and there.

Having only taken 80 plate appearances with Philly, the club non-tendered Hays who was looking at an arbitration figure slightly above $6M. Hays can form a very solid platoon with Burleson if the Cardinals prioritize team success over giving Burly at-bats against LHP.

Adam Duvall

You may remember Duvall for being that guy on the Reds who came out of nowhere and hit 30 bombs like it was nothing in back-to-back seasons. What you may not remember, or even know, is that Duvall was ages 27 and 28 when he did that. Duvall was very much a late bloomer and currently is 36 years old.

Last year Duvall played for the Braves - his third stint with the club. Duvall was horrendous, respectfully, as he posted a 58 wRC+ in 104 games. So why is he a target? Well, to quote Brad Pitt in Moneyball, "Because he's cheap". Last season he signed with Atlanta on a one-year $3 million dollar deal. After that season he's looking at a near-vet minimum.

So yes, Duvall did have a 58 wRC+ in 303 plate appearances but that's not the entire story. In 196 at-bats against RHP, Duvall had a 12 (yes 12!!!) wRC+. However, in 107 at-bats versus LHP Duvall had a very good 135 wRC+. What's more interesting is that he had a .266 ISO against lefties. That kind of power would fit very nicely in the five-hole.

At a glance, Duvall's numbers don't look much different from his career norms. He wasn't chasing more than normal, nor was he whiffing even more. The main thing that plagued Duvall was he was not consistently barreling the ball. He posted one of the lowest barrel rates of his career. He still hit the ball hard when he connected, it just wasn't that often. Something that is concerning is that Duvall had his lowest average EV this season by quite a big margin. On the flip side, he did post his third-highest Max EV of his entire career.

Despite his age, Duvall is still a very solid athlete. He still moves well in a corner and even posted one Out Above Average (OAA). Duvall has solid arm strength as well so he can fit in either corner outfield spot.

Duvall is going to strike out quite a bit, and he isn't going to walk very often. But we're looking for power here and Duvall can provide that if he's deployed in advantageous situations.