Pros and Cons of Cardinals signing Carlos Correa if Mets bail
By Tim Boyle
The St. Louis Cardinals should check in on Carlos Correa but do it with caution.
The New York Mets and most of the baseball world are in limbo right now awaiting the end of a stalemate focused on Carlos Correa. No story has been bigger in the sport than what happened between Correa and the San Francisco Giants. The rest of baseball is lying in the grass with some teams ready to pounce. The St. Louis Cardinals could be one of them.
Chances are the Cardinals won’t feel much differently about Correa’s medicals than the Mets or Giants. Nonetheless, it’s worth a phone call.
The pros of the Cardinals calling Carlos Correa
The Cardinals would have one of the greatest infields imaginable with Carlos Correa inserted in there. It’s possible all four win a Gold Glove in 2023. Each should hit well, too. Defense is something the Cardinals pride themselves on. Correa seems to fit in perfectly as a guy who can work the glove and the stick.
Correa’s abilities go well beyond playing a steady shortstop. He’s a fantastic hitter who doesn’t rely on a single attribute. While he’d get a little buried in a lineup with Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, he does help to make them a more complete team especially with some questions in their outfield.
The current shortstop plan for the Cardinals will have them seeing what Tommy Edman can accomplishment. He might be a better fit for them at second base. A Correa signing would allow Brendan Donovan to take on more of a utility role.
Adding Correa to a short-term deal makes the Cardinals an even greater threat in 2023 when they really need to go after a championship. Signing him will open them up to the possibility of more trades. This is a franchise with a ton of pieces they could deal. While the Mets have the money, the Cardinals have the prospect and young player assets to improve. The Cardinals become immediate contenders for every single player on the trade block. Any doubts they may have can be rectified without doing too much damage to their organization.