MLB Rumors: St. Louis Cardinals have interest in Carlos Gomez
Carlos Gomez was designated for assignment by the Houston Astros this week, and the St. Louis Cardinals may have serious interest in him.
Carlos Gomez was a significant addition at the 2015 trade deadline for the Houston Astros, but things did not work out during his tenure with the team. A rib cage injury did not help this year, but a .210/.272/.322 slash-line with five home runs and 29 RBI over 323 plate appearances made it easy for the Astros to cut ties. Dating back to his acquisition, Gomez posted a .221/.277/.342 slash-line over 126 games with Houston.
Interest in Gomez has been immediate, with the New York Mets first in line. A trade to the Mets last year was reportedly nixed due to concerns over Gomez’s hip, before the Astros got a deal done, but general manager Sandy Alderson said the team has an open mind about Gomez.
Another team has entered the fray for Gomez, with Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporting the St. Louis Cardinals will explore his situation. ESPN’s Mark Saxon has backed that up, while also adding the possibility of being outbid by the Mets.
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During a radio appearance Friday morning, Goold suggested the Cardinals had “legitimate curiosity” about Gomez before outfielder Matt Holliday was hit by a pitch Thursday night. Holliday suffered a fractured right thumb, and it’s safe to assume he’ll be out longer than a 15-day disabled list stint.
Gomez, provided he’s healthy, can play center field at an often highlight-worthy, Gold Glove level. The Cardinals have had a revolving door at that spot all season, and with Holliday now leaving a void in left field their outfield depth will be further tested.
As with any player that becomes available in August, there are financial considerations attached to Gomez. He’s owed around $2.5 million for the rest of this season, so it may be prudent for the Cardinals or any other team to wait until he’s released. But there’s also not a long-term commitment involved, with Gomez slated to become a free agent after the season.
Gomez appeared to have finally figured things out a few years ago, averaging 22 home runs and 37 stolen bases per season from 2012-2014. His more recent body of work obviously shows otherwise, so it’s hard to see a well-regarded organization like the Cardinals maintaining any interest.