# Is it Too Early for the Cardinals to Look for Outfield Upgrades?

- Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/is-it-too-early-for-the-cardinals-to-look-for-outfield-upgrades/
- Published: 2021-04-13T14:08:26-05:00
- Author: Eugene Tierney

Coming into 2021, one of the biggest question marks for the Cardinals was the performance
of the outfield. [Harrison Bader](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/baderha01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
and [Tyler O’Neill](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/oneilty01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
hadn’t set the world on fire. [Dylan Carlson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/carlsdy01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
had mixed results in his short rookie season. [Lane Thomas](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=thomala02,thomas001lan&search=Lane+Thomas&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
hadn’t been able to seize a role. [Austin Dean](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=deanau01,dean--001aus&search=Austin+Dean&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
couldn’t stay healthy in 2020. And for some reason, [Justin Williams](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=williju02,willia006jus,willia005jus,willia008jus&search=Justin+Williams&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
hadn’t received a real shot at playing time.

10 games into the season and the cracks are showing. Bader and O’Neill are on the
injured list. Carlson is hitting for power, but not frequently. Thomas didn’t make
the opening day roster, but has looked decent in limited playing. Dean has looked
OK as well. Williams has struggled and probably still isn’t ready. It’s gotten to
the point that [Tommy Edman](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/edmanto01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
is playing right field and the team is relying on [Matt Carpenter](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=carpema01,carpen003mat&search=Matt+Carpenter&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
at second.

It’s early in the season, but could the team find help?

The only free agent option are [Yasiel Puig](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/puigya01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
and [Yoenis Cespedes](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cespeyo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-).
Both players sat out in 2020 (Cespedes played 8 games with the Mets before opting
out) and have a history of clubhouse issues. Both players also have proven track
records that none of the Cardinal outfielders have.

Puig split 2019 with the Reds and Indians, hitting .267/.327/.458 with 24 homers.
He’s a career .277/.348/.475 hitter with 132 homers and an OPS+ of 121.

Cespedes missed 2019 to injury and was attempting a comeback in 2020; he struggled
to a line of .161/.235/.387 with 2 homers in 34 plate appearances before he disappeared
from the team, eventually informing them he was opting out. He’s got a career line
of .273/.327/.497 with 165 homers and a 125 OPS+.

While the “clubhouse cancer” stigmata might deter some fans, it probably wouldn’t
be an issue with the Cardinals. The Cards have some natural leaders in [Paul Goldschmidt](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/goldspa01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
[Nolan Arenado](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/arenano01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
[Adam Wainwright](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wainwad01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
and [Yadier Molina](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/molinya01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-).

The real issue with these 2 would be ramp up time. Neither player had spring training
and would need at least a month to get up to speed; by that point, you could see
a player on the roster get hot, or the Cardinals could dig themselves in a hole 
that they won’t be able to climb out of.

Instead, the team could try to pluck a rental from a struggling team. The chances
of this are slim though, since we are only 10 games into the season and most teams
will want to give it a month or 2 before calling off their season. It couldn’t hurt
to ask at this point.

One name I like is [Kole Calhoun](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/calhoko01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
of the Diamondbacks; Calhoun is sitting behind [David Peralta](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/peralda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
and [Pavin Smith](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithpa04.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
on the corner outfield depth charts and making $8M this season with a $9M club option/
$2M buyout. If the Cardinals were willing to give up a mid-level prospect, I could
see the D-back sending a couple of million to off-set some of the contract.

[David Dahl](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dahlda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
is another player that could be coming available in the next few weeks; the Ranger’s
left fielder is on a 1-year deal worth $2.7M, but has 2 years of team control remaining.
The cost would be higher, since the Rangers don’t need to move him and it’s early
in the season. If you could get him for a [Junior Fernandez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=fernaju01,fernan001jun&search=Junior+Fernandez&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
and Jhon Torres, it would be worth it.

The other area the Cardinals could upgrade a hitter is shortstop; [Paul DeJong](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dejonpa01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
just isn’t cutting it. He’s struggling to make contact and it’s limiting his powers,
which was his calling card. The team might be better off giving him a full season,
especially if they were to acquire an outfielder. The free agent market after the
season will be incredible for shortstops: [Javier Baez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/baezja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
[Trevor Story](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/storytr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
[Carlos Correa](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/correca01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
and [Corey Seager](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/seageco01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
are the big name guys, with guys like [Marcus Semiens](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/semiema01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
[Andrelton Simmons](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/simmoan01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-),
and [Chris Taylor](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tayloch03.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)
in the second tier.

One thing is for certain, this team won’t win the division if they don’t get better
production from the outfield (and we aren’t getting into the rotation issues; that
a separate article).

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