Cardinals: 5 big free agent targets for St. Louis entering offseason

Sep 9, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak looks on from the dugout before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 9, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak looks on from the dugout before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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Boston Red Sox Xander Bogaerts
Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox reacts during the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images)

Xander Bogaerts

The Cardinals have a great shortstop option in Tommy Edman and second base with Nolan Gorman and Brendan Donovan. This should not stop the club from considering adding a bat like Xander Bogaerts to their lineup.

In 150 games for the Boston Red Sox in 2022, Bogaerts slashed .307/.377/.456 with 15 HR and 73 RBI. Bogaerts has won two World Series in Boston, and would add to the Cardinals great defensive lineup. Bogaerts will also not be the most expensive shortstop on the market thanks to Trea Turner and other shortstops like Dansby Swanson and Carlos Correa.

Bogaerts would immediately slide in to the number two or five spots in the St. Louis order, giving them three legitimate MVP type hitters in their lineup. Edman would slide over to second base for St. Louis then, Gorman can be the primary DH, and Donovan can bounce around the field on a everyday basis.

It would not be surprising for St. Louis to stick with their middle infield options, but Jon Heyman did list them as a suitor for the big shortstops this offseason.

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