Cardinals: Pros and cons of free agent targets for St. Louis

Trea Turner

Pros

• Trea Turner is one of the most all-around hitters in all of baseball, posting a career .842 OPS due to his ability to hit for power and get on base at a high rate, something the Cardinals could really use in their lineup.
• Turner is a stolen base machine, leading the NL in stolen bases twice in his career and stealing 27 in 2022. With the bases being widened in 2023, many expect Turner to be even more dangerous on the paths the next few seasons.
• The former Dodger and National has some defensive versatility, being able to play at shortstop, second base, and center field. This means St. Louis could bring Turner in as their shortstop this year, but he could slot in at a number of other positions as time goes on base on their needs.

Cons

• At 29-years old, Tuner is going to command a massive contract, likely with an AAV of $35 million+ over 7-10 years, easily being the most expensive player St. Louis has ever signed.
• Speed is a huge part of Turner’s game, so many wonder how well he will age if that begins to fade away. Can he still remain a highly impactful player? That is a huge concern.
• There is already an argument that Turner is at best an average defender at this point in his career, and that will probably only get worse with time, meaning he will really have to produce at the plate to provide his value.