MLB Insider says Cardinals will pursue star shortstops in offseason

ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: Trea Turner #6 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two-run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth inning at Busch Stadium on July 12, 2022 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images)
ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: Trea Turner #6 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two-run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth inning at Busch Stadium on July 12, 2022 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Braves Dansby Swanson
Dansby Swanson #7 of the Atlanta Braves bats against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

Dansby Swanson

After being selected #1 overall in the 2015 MLB draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Swanson was traded to the Atlanta Braves in the Shelby Miller trade but bounced back and forth from being a productive player to a bit of a disappointment. In 2022 though, Swanson has been an All-Star level player who’s ready for a big contract.

Swanson on the season is hitting .276./.328/.435 with 22 HR and 92 RBI on the season for the reigning champions. Swanson has been a good postseason player as well, with a career .768 OPS in 121 postseason at-bats.

Swanson scares me a bit as he has not been consistently great until the last two seasons and the pandemic shortened 2020. This could be a case of a player coming into his own at age 28, but he also could be peaking an on the decline after a few years into his major contract.

Swanson will likely get the smallest contract of the four shortstops, unless Correa signs another short deal at a high AAV. He has been a great player over the last few seasons and a clear upgrade to the Cardinals lineup, not to mention a chance to take him away from a fellow NL contender.

Next. Cardinals must call-up Jordan Walker. dark