5 early season trade targets for the St. Louis Cardinals

Whit Merrifield #15 of the Kansas City Royals catches a fly ball hit by the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium on May 2, 2022 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images)
Whit Merrifield #15 of the Kansas City Royals catches a fly ball hit by the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium on May 2, 2022 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images)
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CINCINNATI, OHIO – APRIL 22: A detail view of St. Louis Cardinals hats in the dugout during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on April 22, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO – APRIL 22: A detail view of St. Louis Cardinals hats in the dugout during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on April 22, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Marlins Shortstop Joey Wendle 

Traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Miami Marlins in the offseason, SS Joey Wendle has swung the bat well thus far for South Beach.

The Marlins shortstop hits from the left side and has begun the year hitting .286/.348/.429 with 1 HR and 8 RBI. Wendle is a career .274 hitter with an OBP of .329, showing great consistency at the plate. The shortstop provides defensive versatility at all infield spots and corner outfield as well.

Paul DeJong and Edmundo Sosa have combined for a .219 OBP so far this season, ranking the Cardinals last in major league baseball in OBP from the shortstop position. Even if the club were to move Tommy Edman over to the position to make room for Nolan Gorman, the club could really use another option at shortstop with how awful their current options have been. Wendle also gives the club another left handed bat, something they are weak in.

Joey Wendle is not a household name by any means, but the upgrade his bat would provide to this Cardinal lineup would be immense. The shortstop position at the moment is practically an automatic out, often times a strikeout, which can kill momentum or rallies for an offense that feeds off one another. Inserting a guy like Wendle who will work counts and find his way on base could unlock other guys in the St. Louis lineup.

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