Should the St. Louis Cardinals pursue Josh Reddick?

Does Josh Reddick make sense for the Cardinals?

The St. Louis Cardinals are looking for outfielders after trading Dexter Fowler, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, even though the team continues to publicly commit to its young outfielders.

The Fowler trade opened right field for top prospect Dylan Carlson. Harrison Bader is likely to be the starting center fielder. And there are other options such as Tyler O’Neill, Lane Thomas and rookie Justin Williams who can compete for playing time.

While Goold did not list any players of interest, one name that could make sense is free-agent outfielder Josh Reddick. Reddick, 33, is no longer an everyday outfielder at this stage of his career, but he comes with a playoff pedigree and could be instrumental in helping the young outfielders grow as they begin the upcoming season.

Reddick would likely step into Dexter Fowler’s role, while being on a much more team-friendly contract. The Cardinals would be wise to explore Reddick as a No. 4 outfielder, though it is unknown if talks have taken place. But if Reddick is open to taking a spot on the bench and help ease the young outfielders into the upcoming season, the Cardinals should pounce.

In 2020, Reddick played in 56 games with the Houston Astros and hit .245/.316/.378 with four home runs and 23 RBI. In his 12-year career, he has played for the Oakland Athletics, Astros and Boston Red Sox, hitting .263/.322/.428 with 144 home runs and 554 RBI. And if he provides similar production, or even something slightly above what he performed in 2020, he would be worth a low-cost investment from president of baseball operations John Mozeliak.

It is unlikely that the Cardinals are in the market for an outfielder of the caliber of Jackie Bradley Jr., but it is likely they would explore players in the mold of Reddick. There are no signs of a deal being close, but given their recent signs of aggressiveness, perhaps nothing should be ruled out.