St Louis Cardinals

The Colorado Rockies agreed to trade third baseman Nolan Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday pending MLB and MLBPA approval, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and Fox Sports.   

Rosenthal mentioned some possible names going the other way, though the deal will likely take days to be completed given all of the moving parts:

Names possibly going to Rockies include LHP Austin Gomber, 1B Luken Baker, OF Jhon Torres. Return also might include RHP Jake Woodford or RHP Angel Rondón. Exact package not confirmed. https://t.co/QJaMyyxLwP

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 30, 2021

Deal unlikely to be official tonight and maybe even not this weekend. Arenado will need to formally waive his no-trade clause and his opt-out after 2021 also must be addressed. Approvals from MLB and union necessary as well, as reported in initial tweet. https://t.co/xuCNkaD5kq

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 30, 2021

In other words, the Cardinals may be getting Arenado without dealing anyone who is currently slated to be in their 2021 starting lineup.

Here's how St. Louis' lineup and payroll could look with Arenado.    

This projection presumes that catcher Yadier Molina will re-sign with the Cardinals as expected, as reported by Jon Morosi of Fox Sports and MLB Network earlier in the day. FanGraphs' Roster Resource was also taken into consideration.

                                     

Projected St. Louis Batting Order

1. 2B Tommy Edman

2. SS Paul DeJong

3. 3B Nolan Arenado

4. 1B Paul Goldschmidt

5. LF Dylan Carlson

6. RF Dexter Fowler

7. C Yadier Molina

8. CF Harrison Bader

9. Pitcher

                       

Bench

C Andrew Knizner

INF Matt Carpenter

INF Edmundo Sosa

OF/1B Austin Dean

OF Tyler O'Neill

OF Justin Williams

                  

Payroll

Prior to the reported Arenado trade, Cot's Baseball Contracts projected the Cardinals' 26-man Opening Day roster as having a $134,912,500 payroll, the 11th-highest in the league.

Arenado is reportedly due $35 million in 2021. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that St. Louis is expected to pay Arenado roughly $25 million a year, with the Rockies covering the $10 million.

That would put the payroll at $159,912,500, although the Cardinals will have to drop someone on the projected 2021 roster to stay at the 26-player mark. It's also unclear if anyone listed is headed to Colorado.

Ultimately, the Cardinals' payroll should not be any more than $159,912,500 and will likely be a bit less when final roster transactions are made.

                                       

Notes on Arenado

Arenado, 29, is an eight-time Gold Glove winner, five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger. He hit 41 home runs with 118 RBI, a .315 batting average and a .962 OPS during the 2019 season.

The third baseman's batting numbers dipped during the shortened 2020 season, as he had eight home runs, 26 RBI, a .253 batting average and a .738 OPS in 48 games.

However, Arenado is usually fantastic at the dish and in the field. He notably averaged 40 home runs and 124 RBI a season from 2015 to 2019. He hit .300 with a .937 OPS during that stretch.

The lifelong Colorado star will now be making the switch to St. Louis, which now looks like a serious contender for the National League pennant despite being in a stacked league with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres, among others.                          

Despite some flirtation with other teams this offseason, Yadier Molina is expected to be back as the St. Louis Cardinals starting catcher in 2021. 

Per MLB Network's Jon Morosi, Molina is expected to re-sign no later than by the end of the Caribbean Series. He is currently playing for the Puerto Rican team in winter ball.

Puerto Rico is one of six teams competing in the Caribbean Series, which will run from Jan. 31-Feb. 6. 

Morosi added that Puerto Rico newspaper El Nuevo Dia first reported that Molina will likely sign a one-year deal with the Cardinals. 

Bringing Molina back provides more stability and continuity to a Cardinals roster that currently projects to look similar to last year's squad. 

Here's what St. Louis' projected lineup looks like with Molina expected back:

1. Tommy Edman, 2B

2. Paul DeJong, SS

3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B

4. Dylan Carlson, LF

5. Dexter Fowler, RF

6. Matt Carpenter, 3B

7. Yadier Molina, C

8. Harrison Bader, CF

9. (Starting Pitcher)

If that lineup looks familiar to Cardinals fans, it's pretty close to the starting nine that manager Mike Shildt used in the final game of 2020 against the Milwaukee Brewers. 

The only change is Tommy Edman taking over as the everyday second baseman. He was playing every day last season but was used in more of a utility role. The Cardinals have an opening at the keystone because it doesn't seem like they want to bring back Kolten Wong. 

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported this week that St. Louis has "have not actively pursued a reunion" with Wong after his $12.5 million option was declined in October. 

Molina is no longer the offensive player that he was at his peak, but he still managed to post a .262/.303/.359 slash line in 42 games last season. The 38-year-old still rates as an elite defender behind the plate. He ranked fourth out of 12 catchers who had at least 150 plate appearances with a 5.0 defensive rating in 2020, per FanGraphs. 

Per BaseballSavant.com, Molina ranked 11th out of 62 total catchers in getting strikes called on pitches out of the zone. He threw out 45 percent of base-stealers, his highest rate since 2014. 

The National League Central is wide open with the Chicago Cubs getting rid of key players like Yu Darvish and Kyle Schwarber; the Cincinnati Reds don't seem likely to re-sign 2020 Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer; the Brewers have rotation questions behind Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes; the Pittsburgh Pirates have gone all-in on rebuilding their farm system. 

The Cardinals may not have to make any drastic moves the rest of this offseason to be considered the best team in the division, but they could stand to upgrade an offense that ranked 26th in MLB with a .694 OPS and 28th in runs scored (240).

Even though the Cardinals only played 58 games last year, scoring runs was a problem for them the last time there was a full season. They ranked 19th in runs scored (764) and 21st in OPS (.739) in 2019. 

There is one potential blockbuster move out there that would help the Cardinals lineup and defense. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on Thursday that St. Louis is talking with the Colorado Rockies about All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado. 

"League sources offered varied assessments of where the talks stood Thursday night," Rosenthal wrote. "One cautioned that a trade might not happen at all, but others believe the Rockies are motivated to move Arenado and the Cardinals are motivated to acquire him."

If the Cardinals can plug Arenado into the middle of their lineup, it would help them close the gap with the NL elites like the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves. 

As things stand right now, Molina's potential return will go a long way toward keeping the Cardinals in the playoff picture in the National League. 

The St. Louis Cardinals and catcher Yadier Molina are expected to reach an agreement on a new contract. 

Per MLB Network's Jon Morosi, Molina is expected to re-sign with Cardinals "after the Caribbean Series, if not before then."

Morosi noted that Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia was the first to report the Cardinals offered Molina a one-year contract that "he's likely to sign soon."

Molina is a franchise legend who helped lead the Cards to World Series titles in 2006 and 2011. His career resume, which will likely land him in the Hall of Fame, also includes nine All-Star Game appearances, nine Gold Glove Awards, a Silver Slugger Award and a Roberto Clemente Award.

The 38-year-old Puerto Rico native became a free agent after the 2020 season. He has spent his entire MLB career, which started in 2004, with the Redbirds.

"I also said that if the Cardinals want me, that's the only team I want to play for," Molina told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch last January. "So, it's still like that too. If they want me. If they want to move apart, that's it for me."

In his last few seasons, Molina wasn't the offensive threat he was during his prime—he posted an OPS over .810 in three straight years from 2011 through 2013—but he remained a solid secondary contributor at the plate.

He compiled a .270 average with 10 home runs and six stolen bases across 113 appearances that year. He recorded a lackluster .662 OPS in 2020, though.

Much the same can be said about his defense. Once one of MLB's premier backstops, he now rates in the middle of the pack defensively.

Yadi finished 32nd in runs saved from extra strikes, per Baseball Savant—a pitch-framing metric—and tied for 33rd in defensive runs saved, per FanGraphs, during MLB's last full season in 2019.

That said, Molina's value to the Cardinals goes beyond his mostly average statistical production. His clubhouse leadership and experience in key moments is invaluable to a championship contender.

An extension always felt like a mere formality as a result, though it won't stop St. Louis from continuing the plan of the future of the position in the years ahead.

For now, Molina and Andrew Knizner will share catching duties for 2021.

The St. Louis Cardinals are reportedly keeping a franchise stalwart. 

On Thursday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported the Cardinals re-signed starting pitcher Adam Wainwright for one year and $8 million. The right-hander has been with St. Louis since he was a rookie in 2005 and had an impressive bounce-back effort in the shortened 2020 campaign after he seemed to be trending in the wrong direction.

According to Spotrac, the Cardinals' total salary for the 2021 season prior to signing Wainwright was $118.1 million. That means this deal will bring it to approximately $126.1 million as they look to make the playoffs for the third consecutive year.

How well the pitching staff performs will go a long way toward determining whether that becomes a reality. 

There is some uncertainty with Dakota Hudson out for the 2021 season following Tommy John surgery. With that in mind, here is a projected rotation from FanGraphs, although a December report from Anne Rogers of MLB.com suggested Austin Gomber, Daniel Ponce de Leon, Jake Woodford and Johan Oviedo could compete for starts as well:

• Jack Flaherty
• Kwang Hyun Kim
• Adam Wainwright
• Carlos Martinez
• Miles Mikolas

Whether Flaherty can bounce back from an uncharacteristic 2020 season and Wainwright can build on it remain the two biggest question marks for the rotation.

Flaherty was among the best pitchers in baseball in 2019 with a 2.75 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 231 strikeouts in 196.1 innings, but he posted a 4.91 ERA in nine starts last season. Optimistic Cardinals fans will point out last year was anything but normal with no fans and a small sample size with a condensed schedule and surely hope it was a blip on the radar for the ace.

Wainwright, though, was much better in 2020.

He finished with a 3.15 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 54 strikeouts in 65.2 innings after posting an ERA of 4.19 or higher the previous four years. Included in that stretch was his 5.11 mark in 2017.

There is no questioning a career that includes a World Series title, three All-Star appearances, two Gold Gloves and even a Silver Slugger, but Wainwright seemed to be well past his prime before the 2020 season started. That he was so effective even in a two-month window likely helped convince the Cardinals to bring him back for 2021.

He will now be a key part of their rotation.

The St. Louis Cardinals and veteran starting pitcher Adam Wainwright reportedly reached an agreement Thursday on a one-year, $8 million contract.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported the news.

Wainwright enjoyed a strong bounce-back season in 2020. He compiled a 3.15 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with 54 strikeouts in 65.2 innings for the St. Louis Cardinals. It was a limited sample size amid the coronavirus-shortened campaign, but it was closer to his peak than fans had witnessed in recent years.

The 39-year-old Georgia native struggled with injuries and a drop in production beginning in 2015, when he was limited to seven appearances because of a torn Achilles.

His numbers from 2015 through 2019 were pedestrian, especially for one of the National League's best pitchers for the better part of a decade. He'd posted a 4.44 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 103 games over that five-year span, which suggested his decorated career might be nearing its conclusion.

By comparison, he'd amassed a terrific 2.99 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in the eight seasons between 2006 and 2014 for the Cards. It's a stretch that included three All-Star selections and two World Series titles.

The right-hander's return to form came in a contract year and he hit the free-agent market at a time the Cardinals' front office was deciding whether to retain former franchise cornerstones or opt for younger, cheaper alternatives. Longtime Redbirds catcher Yadier Molina found himself in a similar situation.

"Every player has an expiration date," Wainwright told ESPN's Jesse Rogers in November. "It's just the nature of the game. You will never hear me say a bad word about the city of St. Louis or the Cardinals organization. They've done so much for me. They're amazing people from top to bottom. I've been so blessed."

Even though it wasn't a foregone conclusion he'd return to St. Louis—the Kansas City Royals were a rumored suitor while he was a free agent—it's no surprise the sides came together to make it work. He's played his entire MLB career with the Cards after being drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2000.

Wainwright should provide depth behind Jack Flaherty and Kwang Hyun Kim in the Cardinals rotation to open 2021.

Adam Wainwright has spent his entire 16-year MLB career with the St. Louis Cardinals, but he could move this offseason with significant reported interest from around the league.

According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the starting pitcher has "several competitive offers" on the table, including one from the San Diego Padres.

The Cardinals still hope to re-sign longtime players Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina, but the offers feature fewer guarantees than their 2020 deals, per Goold.

Wainwright had a $5 million base salary for 2020 plus incentives, per Spotrac, although he ended up with less money as a result of the shortened season.

The 39-year-old still proved he could be worth the money after an impressive showing last season.

Wainwright produced a 3.15 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 2020 that were each his lowest of any year since 2015 when he made just seven appearances. He also showcased his durability with two complete games and 65.2 innings in 10 starts, a solid campaign for someone who has had many seasons derailed with injuries.

Once one of the most reliable pitchers in baseball, Wainwright hasn't topped 200 innings in a season since 2014.

The latest season showed the three-time All-Star can still produce when healthy, leading to several options on the open market if he doesn't return to St. Louis.

If he ends up in San Diego, it would add another veteran pitcher to an overhauled rotation now led by Yu Darvish and Blake Snell. The experience and upside will be extremely useful for a team with World Series aspirations in 2021.

At least six MLB teams have checked in on free-agent second baseman Kolten Wong, per Jon Morosi of Fox Sports and MLB Network.

That group includes the St. Louis Cardinals, for whom Wong played from 2013 to 2020. The Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies are also in the mix.

Wong, 30, has won back-to-back Gold Gloves. He hit .265 (.675 OPS) with one home run and 16 RBI last year for the Cardinals, who finished with a winning record for the 13th straight season.

Wong excelled in 2019 as well with 11 home runs, 59 RBI, 24 stolen bases, a .285 batting average and a .784 OPS. The stolen base and batting average marks are career-highs.

Wong ranks 26th on FanGraphs' list of top 50 free agents, with the writer, Craig Edwards, predicting that the second baseman will eventually land a two-year, $15 million deal.

He'd be a good fit on any of the teams Morosi mentioned, with John Trupin of Lookout Landing explaining why the Mariners would work, for instance:

Kolten Wong was one of the top targets for our offseason plan at @LookoutLanding and he still makes a bunch of sense.

Fairly young, gives them a Gold Glover at every infield spot, still leaves them plenty of space to get their young guys PAs. https://t.co/ltiWB2aGlI

— John Trupin (@JohnTrupin) January 27, 2021

Dan Buffa noted that a return to the Redbirds would also benefit the Cardinals:

https://twitter.com/buffa82/status/1344348770415337474

St. Louis notably declined Wong's $12.5 million option for the 2021 season in October, buying him out for $1 million and making him a free agent.

The reported interest in Wong comes amid reports of multiple infielders landing with new teams, including Tommy La Stella and the San Francisco Giants, Andrelton Simmons and the Minnesota Twins and Freddy Galvis and the Baltimore Orioles.

Longtime St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina said Thursday he'll consider retirement if the right offer doesn't come in free agency before the 2021 MLB season.

Molina told Cardinals broadcaster Polo Ascensio (via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) he's seeking a two-year contract and would prefer a return to St. Louis.

"Getting ready as always and God will tell," Molina said. "If God wants me to come back, then I'll come back. And if not, I will retire happy with my head held high."

Molina has spent his entire 17-year major league career with the Cardinals, and he's been in the organization since St. Louis selected him in the fourth round of the 2000 MLB draft.

The 38-year-old Puerto Rico native has compiled a .281/.333/.404 slash line with 160 home runs across 2,025 regular-season games with the Redbirds. He's earned nine All-Star selections and won nine Gold Gloves for his work behind the plate.

Along with his on-field contributions, he's also been a key leader in the Cardinals clubhouse during a tenure that's included a pair of World Series titles (2006 and 2011).

Although Molina was a force during his prime, peaking at 7.8 WAR in 2013, his contributions have dipped in recent years, including 0.5 WAR across 42 games during the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season, per FanGraphs.

The Cardinals don't have a direct replacement available should he not return, though. Andrew Knizner and Tyler Heineman are projected to compete for the starting job in spring training if no other moves are made.

It could be a situation in which St. Louis is waiting to see how the free-agent market plays out—top catcher J.T. Realmuto is still available—before deciding whether to bring back Molina.

In December, Cards president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told reporters patience would be needed as the club worked through the offseason amid the financial uncertainty of the pandemic:

I am an advocate for fresh faces and trying to keep an environment that feels refreshing and new and exciting. But when you enter an offseason like we're entering and you have two legacy players who are entering free agency for the first time, it poses a much different variable than just simple change for change. Then you couple in a pandemic, where you have a different finances than you might normally have (and) not have the same flexibility as in pre-pandemic thinking. Therein lies the problem.

Where we have a lot of different variables that we're trying to capture and resolve, and still try to maintain that club that we're excited about and believe in.

Along with Molina, pitcher Adam Wainwright also hit the free-agent market after 15 seasons in St. Louis.

More clarity on their status, and the Cardinals' outlook for 2021, should become available as February's spring training moves closer.

The St. Louis Cardinals "maintain interest" in retaining second baseman Kolten Wong despite declining his $12.5 million option for 2021, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Heyman added the Cardinals still "like him" and that declining the option was "about the price."

The 30-year-old Wong has spent his entire eight-season MLB career with the Cardinals, who drafted him in the first round in 2011. Last season, he hit .265/.350/.326 with a homer, 16 RBI, 26 runs and five stolen bases while winning his second straight Gold Glove award. His best season came in 2019 when he hit .285 with 11 homers, 59 RBI, 61 runs and 24 stolen bases in 148 games, finishing with an OPS of .784.

Were Wong more of a threat at the plate, the Cardinals may not have hesitated to pick up his option given his excellent defense. Perhaps in a different offseason, without the financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, they would have picked up that option anyway.

Regardless, Wong is on the market as a consolation prize for teams that miss out in the DJ LeMahieu sweepstakes.

If the Cardinals don't retain Wong, his in-house replacement would be Tommy Edman, who largely played third base last year. That would likely mean moving Matt Carpenter—who rotated between third base, first base and designated hitter last year—back to third base on a more regular basis.

Wong likely won't find a home until LeMahieu signs and sets the market. That price point may determine whether the Cardinals decide they can afford what Wong demands in free agency.

Contract talks between the St. Louis Cardinals and a pair of franchise legends—catcher Yadier Molina and starting pitcher Adam Wainwright—have "plodded," per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

"The 'brothers,' as Molina says, have discussed sticking together, even if it's not as Cardinals," Goold wrote.

"Ownership wants to keep 'legacy players,' but talks have plodded. The return of both future redcoat-wearers was, at best, uncertain. How they'll be missed when gone is a given."

Molina, a nine-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner, has played with the Cards for his entire 17-year career. Wainwright, a three-time All-Star who has finished in the top three of the National League Cy Young voting four times, has played for St. Louis since 2005.

Both players are free agents.

Molina and Wainwright have been bedrocks for the Cardinals franchise since the mid-2000s. St. Louis has made the playoffs 11 times since 2004, winning the National League pennant four times and the World Series twice.

The Cardinals also won the NL Central eight times and earned 100 victories in a single season on three separate occasions. St. Louis has posted a losing record just once this century.

There have been rumblings about Molina and Wainwright potentially heading elsewhere.

Molina's camp deemed an offer the Cards made as "ridiculous," per Mark Saxon of The Athletic on Dec. 9.

The San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals are also "fallback options" for Molina if a deal with the Cardinals does not work out, per Jon Heyman of WFAN Sports Radio and MLB Network on Dec. 18.

The Kansas City Royals are interested in Wainwright, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports on Dec. 21. However, Morosi also reported that Kansas City doesn't appear to be a "front-runner" to sign him.

If Molina and Wainwright do return, they'll open the 2021 season with the Cardinals at the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, April 1.