Rays Slugger Reportedly Available; Cardinals Are Logical Trade Partners

The St. Louis Cardinals can now focus on other areas for development since they have effectively added players to their rotation this winter.

Although St. Louis appears to be concentrating on the bullpen right now, this is the season to look into any possibilities that could strengthen the club.

With a.742 OPS in the previous season, the Cardinals offence was ranked No. 13. They could gain from adding a cheap on-base player who can consistently score runs.

Luckily, St. Louis can add a great addition to their roster: a designated hitter from an American League rival.

“The (Tampa Bay) Rays, according to sources, also have been shopping designated hitter Harold Ramírez, whose OPS-plus the past two seasons is 21 percent above league average,” The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal said on Monday. “Ramírez is expected to receive $4.4 million in arbitration next season, according to MLB Trade Rumours. By trading him, Curtis Mead, another hitter under 25, and Jonathan Aranda would get even more at-bats.”

In 122 games for the Rays in 2023, Ramírez batted.313 with 33 extra-base hits, including 12 home runs, 68 RBIs, and a.813 OPS. His numbers from the previous season were almost identical.

The Cardinals are probably done with significant roster moves, but they might try to add some position-player depth with a slugger who can play first base, corner outfield and left field when necessary, even though he isn’t a reliable defender. These are the marginal moves that St. Louis seems amenable to.

It might be worth bringing in a proven talent capable of posting 120 OPS+ in exchange for some mid-level prospects or expendable pieces of their 40-man roster.

The 29-year-old has two more seasons of team control and will likely be traded, given that the team is shopping him.

Will the Cardinals make a move to add Ramírez to the lineup for 2024?