Getting a transparent image of the Cardinals’ plans for 2025 has been a little bit of a shifting goal. A number of stories over the previous months indicated the membership was a kind of reset yr, decreasing the payroll as they pivot in direction of a concentrate on participant improvement. As such, it appeared truthful to count on that quite a few veteran gamers on the roster can be out there in commerce. In latest weeks, that expectation has been softened, one thing that president of baseball operations John Mozeliak mentioned with Katie Woo of The Athletic this week.

“We now have each intention of fielding a great baseball crew,” Mozeliak mentioned. “It’s going to have a distinct profile, however we nonetheless have a number of perception that a few of our youthful gamers will take that subsequent step ahead. We’re enthusiastic about what we now have. Now, it’s Dec. 5, and issues can occur and issues can change. However we’re nonetheless going into (subsequent season) with optimism that it’ll be a enjoyable baseball crew to look at.”

It appears the plan is to stroll a little bit of a tremendous line. The Playing cards are positively planning to take their foot of the gasoline pedal a bit, although possibly to not the diploma that was initially anticipated. All indicators level to the membership spending a bit much less on the 2025 roster, however they could simply do this by being much less aggressive. RosterResource already initiatives the membership about $35MM under final yr’s payroll, so the Playing cards might simply keep away from signings versus actively trying to transfer gamers with notable contracts.

As of some weeks in the past, it appeared truthful to count on gamers like Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, Sonny Grey, Ryan Helsley and others can be out there. Helsley is a wonderful reliever however is one yr away from free company, making it logical for them to discover trades. The opposite three are of their mid-30s and making eight-figure salaries. All of them have no-trade safety but it surely was assumed by some that they would favor to be traded to a competitor, somewhat than protruding a rebuilding course of.

Nevertheless it was reported final month that Contreras really needed to remain in St. Louis and didn’t wish to waive his no-trade clause. Since one of many targets of the 2025 season is for the membership to guage gamers together with catchers Iván Herrera and Pedro Pagés, Contreras can be moved to first base to interchange free agent Paul Goldschmidt. Although the reporting was a bit much less specific with Grey, it appears he additionally had a need to stick with the Playing cards subsequent yr.

Current reporting has additionally instructed that they are going to maintain onto Helsley. They may finally commerce him on the deadline however there’s some threat there. Helsley might get harm or put up much less spectacular numbers within the first half of 2025. Holding onto him now additionally prevents the buying crew from making a qualifying supply after 2025, doubtlessly lowering his commerce worth.

All in all, it appears the plan is to do one thing in between rebuilding and full-throated contending. The Playing cards are going to provide taking part in time to some much less confirmed gamers and hope for some inside developments. Woo lists Nolan Gorman, Jordan Walker, Lars Nootbaar, Alec Burleson, Pagés and Herrera as gamers who ought to get lengthy auditions in 2025. That’s notable for Gorman as he appeared to fall out of favor this previous yr, getting optioned to the minors with Mozeliak seemingly delivering a harsh evaluation of his state of affairs at the moment.

“Clearly, it’s a sport of manufacturing up right here and in some unspecified time in the future, you’ve received to constantly produce, or we now have to search out somebody who can,” Mozeliak mentioned in August. “I imply, that’s what it in the end comes all the way down to, and these are arduous messages to listen to. It may be irritating, however that is what finally ends up defining you. With our offensive struggles this yr, I believe you possibly can strictly have a look at the lack for constant efficiency, day in and day trip.”

It appears a lot has modified since that remark, as Mozeliak now tells Woo that they’re hoping for Gorman to get 600 at-bats subsequent yr. He appeared to interrupt out in 2023 with 27 house runs and a powerful 11.4% stroll price, working round a excessive strikeout price of 31.9%. However his stroll price fell to eight.5% in 2024 as his strikeout price climbed even greater to 37.6%, resulting in his aforementioned optioning to the minors.

The Playing cards have just a few of those proficient however unproven gamers and it appears the plan is to provide them an opportunity to step ahead. Walker additionally had a powerful 2023 however fell off in 2024. Burleson had a pleasant breakout in 2024 that he’ll attempt to preserve. Nootbaar has been restricted by accidents and nonetheless hasn’t performed 120 video games in a season. Pagés and Herrera have been caught in backup obligation behind Contreras.

The overarching plan then is to proverbially throw these gamers into the deep finish and see how effectively they swim. The Playing cards consider that, with some success from that group and others, they may doubtlessly compete in 2025. That mentality is main them to carry onto gamers like Helsley for now and see how issues go. Relying on how the gamers and the crew carry out within the first half of 2025 might then decide subsequent steps.

The massive remaining unknown appears to be Arenado, who appears to be extra open to waiving his no-trade clause than Contreras or Grey, however he hasn’t demanded a commerce and the Cardinals don’t appear hellbent on shifting him. Whether or not he returns to St. Louis in 2025 might maybe rely on what sort of gives are placed on the desk for him. On high of that, gamers like Erick Fedde, Steven Matz and Miles Mikolas are impending free brokers. The membership could also be open to buying and selling them relying on the gives, however like Helsley, they may be retained because the membership tries to see if contending in 2025 is feasible.