5 Options to Play Shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals

BOSTON, MA - MAY 04: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox hits a solo home run in the eighth inning of a game against the Los Angeles Angels Fenway Park on May 4, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 04: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox hits a solo home run in the eighth inning of a game against the Los Angeles Angels Fenway Park on May 4, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 19: Joey Wendle #18 of the Miami Marlins bats against the St. Louis Cardinals at loanDepot park on April 19, 2022 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 19: Joey Wendle #18 of the Miami Marlins bats against the St. Louis Cardinals at loanDepot park on April 19, 2022 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

Option 5: Joey Wendle

The St. Louis Cardinals tend to make their big splashes, if they choose to do so, in the offseason, and reserve midseason moves for short term patches to the club. If the Cardinals want to improve at shortstop with an outside addition but don’t want a big price tag like Bogaerts or long term commitment like Crawford, Marlins shortstop Joey Wendle seems to be the perfect fit.

Coming over from the Tampa Bay Rays in the offseason, Joey Wendle has been a bright spot in the Miami Marlins lineup, slashing .304/.368/.456 with 2 home runs and 10 RBI. Wendle has a career OPS of .741, so even with slight regression, Wendle has proven to be an above average bat from the left side during his major league career. Wendle provides positional flexibility too, being able to play each infield position as well as the corner outfield spots.

This may be the least exciting option for the club, but seems like a better version of the trades the club made for J.A. Happ and Jon Lester last year’s deadline. If St. Louis wants a cheap, short term option that could pay dividends at shortstop, Joey Wendle fits the bill.

Next. Cardinals Rumors: Xander Bogaerts a “realistic” trade option for St. Louis. dark

facebooktwitterreddit