3 big-name shortstops St. Louis Cardinals should sign

Cardinals shortstop targets: Trea Turner

Trea Turner is the best shortstop available on the market, bar none. The Dodgers have the money to bring him back, should they choose, but Los Angeles might have other plans. Why not Aaron Judge, for example?

FanSided’s Robert Murray did not list the Cardinals as one of three likely suitors for Turner, but did suggest that the Braves or even Giants could pose a real threat to Los Angeles. Murray considers the Dodgers the favorite for several reasons:

"“By all accounts, Turner has loved his time with the Dodgers, and that feeling is mutual. Los Angeles felt comfortable letting Corey Seager leave in free agency last winter because of Turner’s presence. But Turner, who some scouts believe is the best shortstop in baseball, is going to get paid in free agency. One evaluator predicted Turner would sign a long-term contract worth between Seager and Francisco Lindor’s average annual value. When asked about that assessment, another evaluator said: “They’re in the right ballpark.”"

St. Louis cannot outspend LA, so how can they end up with Turner?

The answer to that question is rather simple — hope that Turner’s self-valuation is so astronomical that the Dodgers fail to give in. Think of Carlos Correa’s situation last offseason. The Dodgers, much like the Astros, are a very well-run organization. If they have to replace Turner, they can.

No one player is above the organization. In this scenario, Turner would price his way out of LA, and potentially end up on a short-term, high AAV location like St. Louis.

Cardinals fans can dream.