The ideal Winter Meetings strategy for Cardinals with an impending MLB lockout

The 2025 MLB Winter Meetings are underway in Orlando, FL, and there is much anticipation from Cardinals Nation. New President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom has the keys to the kingdom and is already taking charge.

Fans have been used to idle activity from the front office for years, but change is taking place, and it is already underway. Bloom is focusing on moving veteran players and supply of left-handed hitters to build onto the future. We have already seen Sonny Gray shipped off to Boston, who could become a regular business partner for Bloom. But with the Winter Meetings taking place, expect most of the offseason activity to take off this week.

The question then becomes who suitable pieces are to acquire this winter. The team is in need of starting pitchers and right-handed bats to balance the lineup. If Bloom dives into the free agency pool, he will have to operate within the market value, which is usually inflated. In addition to agents demanding large contracts, many players are tagged with the qualifying offer, which comes at the price of losing a draft pick if the player signs with you. This should not hold back any team to improve their roster, but very well could for Bloom given he is focusing on building for the future. If any commitment is made for a free agent, it will need to be for a multi-year deal that provides the Cardinals years of control to build around and also maintain throughout the next CBA negotiations and potential lockout.

The open market has several key targets that can benefit the Cardinals in the long term without risking losing production from a potential lost season. For a right-handed bat option, Miguel Andujar and Austin Hays come to mind. Andujar is 31 years old coming off his last year of arbitration eligibility making $3 million. Given his role player profile and multiple position eligibility, he would be a perfect bench option to plug into the lineup for matchups and to take pressure off of younger players developing. His contract will be minimal compared to the rest of the market and will cover multiple seasons which is ideal for a bridge gap.

Another available free agent on the pitching side who can fit into Bloom's strategy is Dustin May. May was once a top prospect within the Dodgers organization and has displayed elite potential as a starting pitcher. At only 28 years old, he is the perfect bounce-back candidate and can be obtained at a discount given his injury history. Most pitchers on the market are in their 30s and come with declining value over the life of their contracts, which is more suitable for contending teams looking for short window value. The Cardinals can operate in the opposite by locking up May for a long-term commitment and benefit from his potential to secure a starting pitcher on an affordable deal for several seasons with the hope he returns to his ace-level production.

The more likely outcome is that Bloom will be acquiring players through trades who are more cost-controlled through arbitration contracts. Given talent is being moved in these deals, he can utilize his acumen to acquire a younger and more talented option on a more favorable contract. Bloom is already working this scenario with the Brendan Donovan sweepstakes, with recent reporting stating Noah Cameron from the Kansas City Royals is his target.

Cameron had a breakout 2025 campaign, posting a 3.8 WAR, 2.99 ERA, and 1.099 WHIP across 138 IP in his rookie season. Cameron will be on a per-arbitration contract for 3 more seasons before reaching arbitration for another 3 seasons. If the Cardinals want to part ways with the All-Star Donovan, this is a perfect candidate to build upon for the future.

The perfect right-handed bat Bloom could look to trade for would be Ramon Laureano. The San Diego Padres look to be retooling their roster to shed payroll. The NL West is becoming stronger while the Padres are fading within their window of contention. In a perfect world, the Cardinals could look to acquire their young superstar, but this will be more complicated to achieve. In the meantime, Bloom can make a quicker move that benefits the roster for 2026 and beyond. Laureano provided right-handed power and can be perfect to platoon in the corner outfield. The downside is that Laureano only has one more year of control at $6 million before becoming a free agent in 2027. You will not find a player with better production on that small of an AAV. Laureano had a strong 2025 season posting 3.8 WAR, .284/.342/.512 (.855 OPS) with 24 HR and 76 RBI across 132 games. The production is overpowering of his AAV and the Cardinals can take advantage of a team desperate to shed payroll.

Bloom can always start contract extensions early, and that may benefit the organization to lock him up for several seasons on a contract that is well below market value.