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St. Louis Cardinals: 3 things to watch for in 2022
The shortstop quandary
Sosa has supplanted DeJong as the Cardinals’ primary starting shortstop during the stretch run this season. I was wrong in my thought that Sosa was just another flash in the pan; he has shown he has the ability to start at shortstop and perform well at the position. DeJong might be forced to settle for a bench role, or he might be shipped out of town.
Another consideration will be the historically loaded shortstop free agent market this offseason. Trevor Story, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez could all find new teams next season, and if the Cardinals aren’t committed to letting either Sosa or DeJong handle a starting role, they could look at one of the shortstops on the market. DeJong could be a trade candidate, but with how much his value has declined this year, it’s questionable what kind of talent the Cardinals could receive in return.
Most likely, DeJong and Sosa will both remain with the team and split time. Whether the bulk of playing time leans toward Sosa or DeJong will be something to watch, as will their performances in Spring Training.