Free agents are starting to sign, concrete rumors regarding Juan Soto, this winter’s biggest fish, are beginning to surface, and trade whispers are growing ever stronger. What began as a dull offseason has slowly started to grow.
For the St. Louis Cardinals, the Winter Meetings will be imperative. The team isn’t rebuilding; it’s “resetting”. John Mozeliak has been adamant that he intends on building a competitive team in 2024 — albeit at a much lower price tag — while keeping an eye on the future. Young players will be a focus, and some veterans will remain to provide leadership and consistent production.
The Winter Meetings is often a time of action in a largely inactive time in the baseball offseason. Team heads, player managers, reporters, bloggers, and prospective writers, analysts, and MLB fans will be in Dallas from December 9th through the 12th. This is the time where trades that were discussed at the general manager meetings nearly a month ago come to fruition. Big-name free agents could ink long-term deals, and other free agents will find a home for the foreseeable future.
The Cardinals must choose a path for 2025 for several players, most notably Nolan Arenado, Ryan Helsley, and Erick Fedde. The Cardinals must also look at the roster to find areas of improvement (the outfield and bullpen, probably).
With veterans like Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras having a strong desire to stay in St. Louis through at least 2025, the Cardinals have two leaders. Brendan Donovan, Masyn Winn, Lars Nootbaar, and Jordan Walker will be given every opportunity to show their worth in 2025. Role players like Ivan Herrera, Nolan Gorman, and Michael Siani will also be able to fight for starting spots. Many eyes will be on the Cardinals in Dallas, as they have several potentially attractive players to be traded.
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