4 ex-Cardinals who would have benefited from the current youth movement approach

OF Randy Arozarena

The Randy Arozarena-Matthew Liberatore trade in January of 2020 was lopsided for a very long time. While Liberatore struggled finding his footing (and a role) in the majors, Arozarena was busy racking up postseason accolades and winning with the Tampa Bay Rays. While that equilibrium is becoming more balanced, Cardinal fans can't help but wonder what Randy could have done in St. Louis.

The Cardinals signed the Cuban outfielder in July of 2016 for $1.25 million, and his first full season of pro ball came in 2017. While Arozarena was never a top prospect for the Cardinals, he was certainly viable outfield depth behind top prospects Dylan Carlson and Lane Thomas.

Arozarena made his major-league debut in 2019 for the Cardinals, and he slashed .300/.391/.500 with four strikeouts, two walks, a home run, and a double in 23 plate appearances. He consistently mashed minor-league pitching, as is evidenced by his .853 OPS in the minors.

Arozarena's rookie year with Tampa was full of entertainment. He struck out 170 times, but he slugged 20 home runs, stole 20 bags, and posted a .815 OPS as a 26-year-old. Arozarena was the spark plug for the Rays for several years, and his postseason OPS of 1.273 and 1.074 in 2020 and 2021, respectively, were enviable.

At the time of the trade, the Cardinals were sacrificing a depth prospect for a potential mid-rotation left-handed starting pitcher. This trade isn't one that affected the major-league roster immediately, but it has had ramifications.

Matthew Liberatore has been a reliable reliever for the Cardinals for two years now, and he's showing signs of success as a starter in 2025. However, if he falters or has to be moved back to the 'pen, the Cardinals may be wishing they had kept Arozarena. Their outfield performance has been inconsistent and lackluster since 2021. Their outfielders have produced only 27 fWAR since 2021, 16th most in baseball in that time.