3 Bold Predictions For Cardinals Before Spring Training

Will the Cardinals make any sort of noise this offseason?

Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are in a weird spot.

St. Louis isn't one of the worst teams in baseball by any means and it also isn't among the top contenders either. The Cardinals seem to be in some limbo around the middle of the pack. St. Louis surprised the baseball world in 2023 with a disaster of a season but took a step in the right direction in 2024 but still missed the playoffs

Now, the Cardinals are making changes throughout the organization that won't come into play until after the 2025 season. St. Louis announced Chaim Bloom will be the team's president of baseball operations starting once the 2025 season ends. So, the Cardinals are in a sort of transition year and in a weird place.

While this is the case, there still is time before Spring Training and then the team will play 162 games in 2025 even if the team is in transition.

Here are three bold predictions for the rest of the offseason:

Cardinals Trade Nolan Arenado To The Boston Red Sox:
The Cardinals and Red Sox came together on a deal last year involving Tyler O'Neill. Bloom is familiar with Boston's farm system after building it up. Arenado likely won't get traded until the Alex Bregman sweepstakes ends. Boston is in the mix for Bregman, but if it misses out on him, maybe it could come back to the negotiating table for Arenado.

Cardinals Trade Steven Matz To The Cleveland Guardians:
There have been some rumors about Cleveland's possible interest in Matz. The Cardinals are looking to lower payroll, and dealing Matz away would be an easy way to do so without sacrificing much in the rotation because he's dealt with a lot of injuries so the team has had to go in other directions.

Cardinals Don't Sign Any Player To A Deal With An Annual Value Above $10 Million:
The Cardinals are trying to cut down on spending. St. Louis could use some more pieces, but it won't spend a lot. The team even declined a club option for Kyle Gibson that would've been worth $12 million. He was solid for the team last year and there has been rumors that the club could still look to bring him back. But, if they weren't willing to give him $12 million after being with the team for a year, they may not want to give anyone $10 million.

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