Why Luis Arraez could be perfect third base solution for Cardinals

The month of October has arrived and for the fourth straight year, the Cardinals are not in the postseason, but based on the vibes of this year's club, you wouldn't know that it actually finished with a worse record than the 2025 team. That's because the organization took a lot of important steps forward this year and is in a much better position long-term. This offseason, the Cardinals aren't going to have to trade away established veterans, mainly because the club is so young.

One area that needs work though is third base. Yes, the Cardinals have options. They've got Blaze Jordan and Thomas Saggese, who I believe are good options. But Chaim Bloom hasn't ruled out adding from the outside for third base.

That gave me an interesting idea. What about Luis Arraez? Could he be the fit the Cardinals need there?

Could Luis Arraez fit Cardinals plans?

Right off the bat, I think it's fair to point out that his defense isn't exactly anything to write home about, so that could be a reason to stay away. But you have to look closer. The Cardinals already have three very solid defenders in the infield in Masyn Winn, JJ Wetherholt and Alec Burleson. The outfield is also looking very solid with Nathan Church patrolling center.

I'm somebody that is automatically drawn to a strong offensive profile. Call me old school, but I don't really like to dig into the advanced metrics as much as others do. I know that they're important, but I don't think they always tell an accurate story.

What you're getting in Luis Arraez is a four-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and a three-time batting champion. You could argue that the Cardinals need more power in the lineup, but I think they've got enough in that department, and it's also important to remember that Busch Stadium is known for taking away the home run ball, so adding more sluggers might not be the best solution.

With Arraez, the Cardinals would be getting a guy that consistently hits for a high average and gets on base. That's something that I think is still very important in today's game, and something that is becoming a lost art.

In today's game, we're led to believe that home runs are the best way to score runs, but the Brewers have proven that this is not the case. I think Arraez's offensive profile fits Busch Stadium perfectly. He doesn't need to hit for power to get on base and drive in runs. This year with the Giants and Phillies, he hit .310/.345/.419 with six home runs and 64 RBI.

While the Cardinals have plenty of power hitters, they haven't always been consistent, so getting somebody who is just consistent is something that I think could really transform this offense.

I'm not saying they should give up on Jordan and Saggese, but this is something that I think is reasonable for Bloom to at least consider. He likely won't cost more than a one or two-year deal and won't be overly expensive, and I don't believe that he takes away from what they're trying to do with their rebuild. If they remain out of contention, he could be a good trade piece.

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