Cardinals linked to ideal Paul Goldschmidt replacement, but will John Mozeliak pay up?

The St. Louis Cardinals are expected to undergo significant changes this offseason as John Mozeliak gears up for his final campaign as team president. Chaim Bloom, his replacement-in-waiting, is expected to take on a more substantial role in the front office, reshaping the Cardinals farm system and instilling a more future-oriented approach to team-building.

Which means that, after a couple disappointing seasons in a row, St. Louis may finally be ready to hit the reset button. Expect expensive veterans on the roster to emerge in trade talks — Willson Contreras or Sonny Gray, anybody? Meanwhile, free agents-to-be, such as Paul Goldschmidt, probably won't get new contracts. The Cards are ready for a fresh start, and compiling future assets and flexibility is the priority.

And yet, it's hard to shake our built-in expectations with this Cardinals front office. Mozeliak has made a career of fielding high payrolls and competitive teams. St. Louis' recent lull has forced some introspection, but generally, the Cardinals are an aggressive player in the free-agent marketplace.

One particularly interesting rumor has St. Louis connected to a 2024 All-Star and postseason hero. The question is, how much can we believe it? There has been a ton of credible buzz around St. Louis' patient, slow-burn rebuild. The idea of St. Louis spending top dollar to bring in an aging star sounds preposterous, only that's exactly how the Cardinals have operated for decades.

So: Is Pete Alonso a real possibility? Let's dive in.

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Cardinals connected to Pete Alonso in potential bid to replace Paul Goldschmidt

In short, no. Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch cautions against getting one's hopes up over the possibility of Alonso donning a Cardinals uniform.

"If you think the Cardinals are going to sign Alonso or any other big-name free agent this offseason, you are probably setting yourself up for disappointment. The Cardinals are considering offloading high-priced players at or beyond the age of 30. They are not in the business of acquiring more of them. Alonso, who turns 30 next month, would not align with the Cardinals’ youth movement."

That said, remove all logic and sense of reality from the situation and it's a fun thought. The Cardinals' offense was a complete mess last season, suffering from a woeful lack of production from Goldschmidt and other "stars" who couldn't reach the heights of yesteryear. St. Louis has a lot of money invested in its slate of position players, but that offense needs a proper slugging threat to elevate it to the next level. Goldschmidt, for his considerable track record, just was not consistent enough in 2024.

Alonso would certainly boost the Cardinals' standing in a competitive and entirely winnable NL Central. The Milwaukee Brewers were bounced in the first round again and remain hamstrung by a cheap ownership group. The Cubs are the Cubs, forever bound to mediocrity, while the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates don't feel quite ready to climb the ladder to first place. There is a world in which the Cardinals buck this whole "rebuild" concept and instead tweak a few key positions, add star power in Alonso and make a run at the playoffs.

Is that the best strategy? One that is guaranteed success? Absolutely not, but it's a fun thought exercise, and it certainly falls in line with Mozeliak's reputation. It does not, however, fit the Bloom M.O., which seems to hold more sway over St. Louis these days.

So, expect Goldschmidt to walk, and expect the Cardinals to replace him in-house. That is the way of things.