3 tiers of Black Friday deals for the St. Louis Cardinals to consider this offseason

Black Friday is full of good deals for everyone waking up from their Thanksgiving food comas, so why not look at some potential savings across the baseball landscape?

The St. Louis Cardinals, like every organization, should have their heads up looking for ways to improve at all times, especially if there are clear value wins to be had. Whether that is on the trade market or in free agency, even a team in a "reset" can look for good deals this holiday season.

Let's look at some potentially "expensive" moves to be made, mid-tier discounts, and everyone's favorite "stocking stuffers" that may seem like small gifts but can go a long way.

Big-ticket items who may be "marked down" significantly

These players are "big-ticket" items due to either their contract or potential surplus value, but for some reason may come at a really good discount this winter.

Luis Robert Jr.

The White Sox are listening to offers on Luis Robert Jr., and with him coming off a terrible season production-wise and continuing to be riddled with injuries, the trade return that Chicago once wanted for him is just not feasible anymore.

Owed $15 million in 2025 and two club options at $20 million for 2026 and 2027, Robert has the chance to be a great value add for a club if he stays healthy and regains his form, but that contract is terrible if 2024 is what he is going to be for any club acquiring him. Those big "ifs" should weaken his trade value, and if Robert does hit his ceiling for a new club, that's a bargain trade waiting to happen.

Wilyer Abreu

An excellent outfield defender and platoon bat, the Boston Red Sox may be looking to move Wilyer Abreu as they aggressively improve their roster for 2025. Under club control through the 2029 season, acquiring Abreu now won't be cheap in terms of a trade package, but the overall production he could provide could pay off in a big way in the long run.

While his fit may be a bit awkward initially, acquiring Abreu would allow the Cardinals to get creative with moving other members of their young core for other needs. If the Red Sox's interest in Nolan Arenado and Ryan Helsley is real, he makes a lot of sense as a trade target.

Jordan Montgomery

If Jordan Montgomery is a Black Friday deal, then he's that collectible you sold high on a few years ago that has tanked in value and is being marked down this winter, and the Cardinals could bank on him revitalizing things with them again.

With Montgomery being owed $22.5 million in 2025, the Diamondbacks will have to pay down a significant portion of his salary to make a deal happen after he posted a 6.23 ERA in 25 games. Depending on how low that number gets, St. Louis should call about him, or maybe they could even swap some bad contracts.

Mid-tier deals that anyone could use on their roster!

The following deals won't break the bank but they can pay off in a big way!

Clay Holmes

Already linked to the Cardinals by MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, for former Yankees' closer could fill the gap that is likely going to be left when Ryan Helsley is traded. He's posted a 3.71 ERA in his career and has been particularly good over his last four seasons. He could later be flipped by the Cardinals at the trade deadline or just replace the production that Helsley left behind.

Jordan Romano

While Holmes will likely be looking at some multi-year offers in free agency, Jordan Romano was just non-tendered by the Toronto Blue Jays after missing most of the 2024 season with elbow issues. Romano was an excellent late-inning reliever the four seasons prior, finding himself among the best relievers in striking out opposing hitters. In his 13.2 innings in 2024, his fastball velocity was still elite, so it seems like there's gas left in the tank.

Chas McCormick

The Houston Astros need to revamp their roster if they want to take advantage of a championship window that seems to be closing, and clearing space in their outfield for an impact bat would be a way to do that. Chas McCormick is entering his second year of arbitration, and there is a bit of redundancy between him and Jake Meyers. The Cardinals really need a right-handed option who can play center field and McCormick could fit the bill as a platoon partner with Michael Siani or Victor Scott II.

Stocking stuffers

None of these players will cost the Cardinals much to acquire, but they can easily outperform whatever contracts they are given.

Austin Hays

Like McCormick above, Austin Hays profiles as a right-handed platoon option for the Cardinals lineup at all three outfield positions. Hays shouldn't get much on the free agent market, so he'd be even easier to acquire (in theory) than McCormick. In 90 plate appearances against LHP in 2024, Hays posted an eye-popping 167 wRC+, which would be a huge addition to a Cardinals lineup that struggled vs. lefties last year.

Michael Soroka

While Michael Soroka has struggled to regain the magic he once had as a starter, he was incredibly successful out of the bullpen in 2024 for the Chicago White Sox, posting a 2.75 ERA in 36 innings, limiting opposing hitters to a .189/.303/.291 slash line while punching out 39% of the batters he faced. St. Louis should be on the phone with his agent right now and keeping very close tabs on his market.

Kyle Gibson

I know, another retread, but Kyle Gibson was worth $11.7 million in 2024 by FanGraphs' Dollars stat, and he's consistently been worth between $14.8 million and $24.5 million throughout his big league career. No, the Cardinals wouldn't be expecting some huge value win here, but sometimes it is just nice to know what you are getting from a player, and assuming his deal would be between $10m-$12m, he could be a bit of a bargain if he pumps out those quality starts.