Cardinals Urged To Sign Ex-White Sox $4.3 Million Utility Man

Will the Cardinals make any sort of move?

Jul 14, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Chicago White Sox hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

If the St. Louis Cardinals are going to make any moves in free agency this offseason, they certainly won't be very expensive.

St. Louis has said that its priority is trimming payroll so any move seemingly would be with that plan in mind. The Cardinals could cut ties with some expensive players on the roster, like Nolan Arenado, and replace them with cheap free agents on short-term deals.

There are players out there who could make sense for the Cardinals in this scenario and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold made a list of five free-agent targets for St. Louis on a budget. One player he mentioned was veteran utility man Nicky Lopez.

"As spring training nears, the Cardinals’ bench could be set," Goold said. "They’ve added Jose Barrero, a former top prospect for Cincinnati, on a minor-league deal, and they already had Thomas Saggese poised to make the leap into a utility role, at least. But both are right-handed hitters, and there isn’t a Tommy Edman walking through that door. So, the Cardinals could get a jump on their search for a Brandon Crawford-like move...

"How does he fit the Cardinals? What, you were expecting All-Star position players on this list? Cardinals need bench depth and have decided to do it on a budget, and they have left-handed options at second and third for sure. Less clear is shortstop. A left-handed complement who plays rarely but reliably at shortstop would be a sturdy addition, if not a headliner."

Lopez would be a solid fit as Goold noted. He's a career .248 hitter who has played every infield position in his career -- excluding catcher -- along with left field. He made $4.3 million last year with the Chicago White Sox and likely would be even cheaper now.

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