Cardinals Surprisingly Listed As Fit For Projected $242 Million Star

Would the Cardinals actually consider a deal of this nature?

Oct 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) hits a single in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game six of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals may look very different at first base in 2025.

Seven-time All-Star Paul Goldschmidt has spent the last six seasons as a member of the Cardinals. He was brought in with the hope that his presence would help take St. Louis to the next level and help push the team toward the World Series, but things didn't work out in that way.

He was great for the Cardinals, though, and was named the 2022 National League Most Valuable Player. Goldschmidt has been a fantastic piece for the Cardinals over the years, but he will be a free agent this winter, and the most likely outcome is that he will leave and sign elsewhere.

It's not a guarantee, but the most likely outcome is that he is going to leave. That would open up the first base position for St. Louis.

There will be plenty of options out there in free agency if the Cardinals want to consider an external option. The best first baseman who will be available certainly is New York Mets star Pete Alonso. He will get paid well and likely won't join St. Louis, but Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller listed the Cardinals among "honorable mentions" for Alonso.

"See Diamondbacks, Arizona. Paul Goldschmidt hitting free agency means an opening at first base for the Cardinals," Miller said. "However, they might be content to let Alec Burleson set up shop there after he split his 152 games between DH, LF, RF, and: 1B in 2024. Maybe 'content' isn't the right word, but 'content enough' with that solution to avoid pursuing Alonso all that seriously, particularly with Sonny Gray's salary increasing by $15M in 2025 and by another $10M the following year."

Alonso would be a great pickup for St. Louis, but he will be expensive. St. Louis is looking to cut payroll, so don't expect that he will be joining the team.

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