3 St. Louis Cardinals who shouldn't be on the roster after Winter Meetings
By Curt Bishop
2. Cardinals who shouldn't be on the roster: Dylan Carlson
Dylan Carlson is yet another player who has struggled to remain healthy. After a strong rookie season in 2021, Carlson has regressed significantly.
Like O'Neill, Carlson is an elite defender, but his bat is somewhat of an issue. This past season, the 25-year-old hit just .219 with five home runs and 27 RBI, while also posting a poor OPS mark of .651. Injuries also limited him to 76 games during the regular season.
As such, the Cardinals were forced to improvise with their outfield and use Tommy Edman in center field, which ultimately proved to be worthwhile. With Edman now patrolling center field, it's going to be hard for the Cardinals to find opportunities for Carlson.
Carlson had drawn some interest from the New York Yankees at the trade deadline when the Cardinals were looking for controllable pitchers. The two teams were reportedly close to making a deal happen, but it ultimately fell through at the end.
Perhaps the Cardinals could revisit talks with the Yankees and see if they can get something valuable in exchange for Carlson. Bullpen help is on the Cardinals list, and the Yankees have some bullpen pieces they could look to move.