Cardinals' need for right-handed bat could be fulfilled by a second reunion tour

2026 MLB Spring Training is underway, and free agency is still present. Many players have signed new deals the first week of camp, and others are holding out for the right fit. Justin Verlander returns home to Detroit for most likely his final run, while Max Scherzer is still at home waiting for a role to open up for him on a contending team. This has applied across all positions and currently impacts the outfield market.

The St. Louis Cardinals are still in need of a right-handed bat who can play corner outfield in a platoon role and to fill in for the hurt Lars Nootbaar. The organization has gaslighted the fans into believing flier signing Nelson Velazquez is the solution. After making the addition of a fringe roster invite to Spring Training, there has to be more to this roster hole than just another familiar patch job.

Many in the media and fan base have pushed a recent narrative to bring in veteran Andrew McCutchen. The former MVP and All-Star was passed to the side by his career team Pittsburgh Pirates to sign former Cardinal Marcell Ozuna. Cutch does not appear to be holding out for a starting role, or join a contending team as a sole focus. He just wants to play and would be a great veteran presence in a very young Cardinals clubhouse who needs this platoon level of production from the right side. Cutch vs left-handed pitching produced a slash line of .267/.353..389 (.743) with 35 hits in only 131 AB. This seems like the obvious fit for the Cardinals with where the current roster is at. But one other player comes to mind who has been a fit in St. Louis twice before.

Former Cardinals outfielder Tommy Pham would fill what they need

Tommy Pham is the missing piece, should be the number one target for this role, and should be in camp in Jupiter right now. After a somewhat dramatic end to his Cardinals tenure in 2018, it seemed Pham would never return to St. Louis. But time passes and people change, which is exactly what happened with Pham and the Cardinals organization. Pham was packaged with Erick Fedde in the trade with the White Sox during the 2024 trade deadline. Pham was cut only 23 games into his second stint with St. Louis after the Cardinals threw in the white towel heading into September. The Mozeliak era is over, and now the organization does not have to fake it to make it.

Everyone realizes this is a rebuild, and the focus is to develop players. Pham has developed here, succeeded here, betrayed here, and come to grace here. Pham also has more balanced splits as an overall more balanced hitter than Cutch. If you want a veteran leader to help this young team develop and move forward throughout the 2026 season, sign Tommy Pham.