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Brad Miller might be a free agent fit for the St. Louis Cardinals

By Robert Murray

John Mozeliak of the St. Louis Cardinals speaks to the media before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on April 20, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
John Mozeliak of the St. Louis Cardinals speaks to the media before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on April 20, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Could Brad Miller once again be a fit for St. Louis Cardinals? One outlet seems to think so, but it may not be very likely.

The St. Louis Cardinals and the other 29 teams may not be able to make any additions to their major-league rosters, but that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from churning. In recent days, the Cardinals have been connected to relievers, starting pitchers and offensive upgrades.

They have been linked to free-agent infielder Colin Moran, who was recently non-tendered by the Pittsburgh Pirates. MLB Trade Rumors has now linked them to free-agent infielder Brad Miller, though their connection is speculation and nothing more than that.

But let’s explore it anyway. Miller, 32, was with the Cardinals in 2020 and while he played in only 48 games, made his mark by hitting seven home runs with 25 RBI. He hit only .232/.357/.451, though with an .807 OPS which is above his career average. But it was enough to earn him a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, where he posted an underwhelming .227/.321/.453 slashline, but did hit 20 home runs with 49 RBI.

Of the two, Moran would be the preferred option. While he will cost more than Miller, he presents more upside – he’s only 28 and slashed .258/.334/.390 with 10 home runs and 50 RBI – while Miller feels like a more versatile version of Paul DeJong, who has drawn the angst of the Cardinals fanbase, especially as it appears a certainty that he will enter Opening Day as the team’s starting shortstop.

But this is the class of players that the Cardinals are likely to be looking at, with the bulk of their money going toward the bullpen. The top free-agent bats available, Kyle Schwarber and Nelson Cruz, are likely going to be out of their price range – Schwarber is reportedly seeking a three-year, $60 million deal – while Cruz is going to seek a lucrative one-year pact.

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If Miller is the name the Cardinals go with, perhaps he starts the season as the primary designated hitter before handing off duties to Nolan Gorman or Lars Nootbaar. It’s one possibility, and only speculation for the moment, but Miller fits what St. Louis is looking for – and it may not hurt that the two sides already know each other.

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