Cyber Monday: Best bargain free agents for the St. Louis Cardinals

These signs are not flashy, but would be worth every single penny if St. Louis goes bargain shopping

The St. Louis Cardinals face a lot of key decisions this off-season, and with the Winter Meetings right around the corner, they should find themselves in conversations for some big time moves. Even so, every club needs to keep their eyes on “bargain deals”.

St. Louis should make a big move for a catcher, starting pitcher, or big bat for their lineup, but they cannot do that for every upgrade they do. Whichever direction St. Louis decides to splash their best resources, they should also be looking for good value at other positions.

This is not a “Steven Matz or Brett Cecil” kind of deal I am talking about. We are looking at players who will be of low cost to teams this off-season, but can fill a key role or need for St. Louis, outplaying their market value in 2023. Think in the vein of Albert Pujols this past off-season or Jose Quintana at the trade deadline. Pujols did require a large contract, and Quintana’s return was minor at best, but both served key roles in the Cardinals push for the postseason.

For this, I will give a “bargain” option for the catcher position, left-handed bat addition, starting pitcher, and a bullpen piece that St. Louis could go after if they want to get the best bang for their buck. Again, these should not be the biggest moves the Cardinals make, but these paired with their premier moves could pay huge dividends next season.