Cardinals: 6 stars St. Louis should trade for this off-season

BOSTON, MA - MAY 6: Tim Anderson #7 of the Chicago White Sox safely slides into third base as Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox bobbles the ball in the third inning at Fenway Park on May 6, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 6: Tim Anderson #7 of the Chicago White Sox safely slides into third base as Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox bobbles the ball in the third inning at Fenway Park on May 6, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – OCTOBER 02: Bryan Reynolds #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates advances on a two-run RBI double by Michael Chavis #31  (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – OCTOBER 02: Bryan Reynolds #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates advances on a two-run RBI double by Michael Chavis #31  (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /

OF Bryan Reynolds

The Cardinals outfield lacks a “sure thing” at the moment, and St. Louis could look within their own division to bring in the star to hold down centerfield and be the third bat in their order in Bryan Reynolds.

Reynolds is a switch-hitting, five-tool outfielder who batted .262/.345/.461 with 27 HR and 62 RBI for the Pirates in 2022, and posted a .912 OPS in 2021. The 27-year old would give the Cardinals an elite hitter to protect Goldschmidt and Arenado from both the left and right sides of the plate, and would do so under team control for years to come.

Normally trading within the division is something to be avoided, but with how deep the Pirates are into their rebuild, the Cardinals should not be afraid to give them young talent in exchange for their star outfielder. Reynolds would be a huge upgrade for both the outfield and the lineup, and would pair nicely with Jordan Walker out their for years to come.

Reynolds will not come cheap due to the years of control, but that should be appealing to St. Louis as they will not have to hand out a big contract or risk losing him for some time.