How would this offseason differ if the Cardinals planned to compete in 2025?

Trade for: OF Brent Rooker (30, Athletics)

Next on the list comes another late-career breakout star with his two previous seasons putting him among league leaders in home runs and slugging. 30-year-old outfielder Brent Rooker is currently slated to enter his third season with the who-knows-from-where Athletics and looks to build off an outstanding 2024 that saw him take home a Silver Slugger award and a 10th-place finish in MVP voting.

Rooker initially began his career with the Minnesota Twins as a first-round pick out of Mississippi State University in 2017. He went on to make his big league debut with the club over seven games in the shortened 2020 season before receiving an early season call-up in 2021 for a hopeful extended run in the Twins' lineup. Unfortunately, Rooker suffered a cervical strain shortly after and spent the rest of the year going back and forth between the Twins alternate site and the major league roster. Through 58 games, he flashed some power potential with 19 extra-base hits but showed an elevated 32% strikeout rate.

The outfielder found a new home in 2022 as he was included in a trade with the San Diego Padres centered around pitching swaps between the clubs. Rooker only got into two games with the Padres' big club before being traded again, this time in a deadline deal to the Kansas City Royals, where his 14-game sample provided minimal production

Early in the 2022 offseason, the Royals designated Rooker for assignment who was then picked up by the A's with the idea of the AL West punching bag giving him an everyday role as an outfielder and DH. The then-28 year old broke out in a way that even the A's may not have expected. In 137 games, Rooker accumulated 2.2 WAR while being named an AL All-Star, powered in large part by his 30 home runs and 20 doubles. Even with those high power numbers, Rooker only drove in 69 runs and a near-33% strikeout rate. That offseason saw the A's fielding calls for the outfielder, but the team ultimately decided to retain Rooker with the hopes of taking his game to another level in 2024.

This decision paid off for the A's despite the team's continued struggles. In 2024, Rooker totaled over 5.0 WAR and increased his run production with 39 home runs, 26 doubles, and upped his RBI total to 112. All told, Rooker finished the year with a .293/.365/.562 slash line and a 165 OPS+. More encouraging than just the power was his increased plate discipline, dropping his strikeout rate to a still high but improved 29% to go with his near 10% walk rate. He did show an increased ability on the bases, swiping 11 bags but only spent 14 games in the outfield, falling into a strict DH role.

Rooker turned himself into a valuable piece for any club, as the A's took calls on him during last season's trade deadline. Many of those calls came from teams who were not only intrigued by his impressive power but also his team-friendly contract. Rooker is under team control through the 2027 season and will play the 2025 season at an extremely valuable $3.5 million salary. With this theoretical Cardinals team, Rooker could easily slot into the everyday DH role and give the team the run production they were desperately missing this past season.