The St. Louis Cardinals should sign J.T. Realmuto

The St. Louis Cardinals have had a quiet offseason but so much talk has revolved around bringing back Yadier Molina. But what if the Cardinals decide to pursue a different free-agent catcher?

With Christmas just days away, many St. Louis Cardinals fans are expecting coal in their stockings. The offseason has amounted to little more than a whimper for the Cardinals but there has been constant discussion regarding the potential return of Yadier Molina.

Molina is a franchise icon and fan favorite. His return to St. Louis seems likely but far from certain. What if the the Cardinals decided to go for one of the biggest free agents on the market instead?

The team has been linked to J.T. Realmuto already this offseason. Why would this move make sense?

Realmuto is an impact bat. He would provide protection for Paul Goldschmidt in the lineup and give the team a pillar to help build the new chapter of Cardinals baseball. While his market has been quiet, it is likely far from dull. Should they jump in?

The answer is yes. Would Realmuto be satisfied with a deal in the range of four years and $80 million? That equals out to $20 million in AAV, or roughly what Molina was accounting for on the payroll the past two seasons.

I understand the Cardinals stated intent to decrease payroll and it is unlikely they will hand out any free agent deals of this magnitude this winter. But at about $20 million a year, he would essentially slide into the books at Molina’s salary. After declining the option on Kolten Wong, the team has found other ways to cut some payroll.

In adding Realmuto, the Cardinals will have found an impact bat to jolt the offense, and one franchise catcher to replace another one.

He will be expensive and might find better offers on the market. But if Molina is holding out for a similar AAV as his last deal, Realmuto would almost for sure be a better value. He’s 29, so a medium length deal would only run him to his mid-30s whereas another Molina contract could take him to age 40.

Ultimately, odds are that Molina is back with the St. Louis Cardinals. But we’re into late December and there has been seemingly no progress on that front. If anything, the sides seem further apart than ever. The Cardinals could pivot to Realmuto and make a rare free agent splash while upgrading the offense.

The more this situation drags out, the more potential for the Cardinals and Molina to have a messy breakup. J.T. Realmuto could be there with open arms, ready for the Redbird embrace.