If you look across the St. Louis Cardinals' roster, third base remains the only big positional question mark for the organization, for now.
Heading into the 2027 season, the outfield should include Jordan Walker, Joshua Baez and Nathan Church. The catcher should be Leo Bernal. Then, the infield should include Alec Burleson, JJ Wetherholt and Masyn Winn. Now, things could change. But third base appears to be the only real question mark. Thomas Saggese or Blaze Jordan arguably should be considered the most likely internal options for the job. Nolan Gorman arguably should not. At some point in 2027, Jesus Baez could become an option if he can carry his 2026 momentum into the 2027 season.
What about external options? MLB.com's Mark Feinsand floated an intriguing idea and listed St. Louis among the potential fits for Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Alec Bohm. He's a great player, but the biggest question hanging over this idea is whether the Cardinals will actually invest in anyone in free agency this winter.
"Are the Cardinals finally ready to move on from Nolan Gorman? St. Louis had a cumulative .620 OPS from its third basemen, ranking 27th in the Majors," Feinsand wrote. "Gorman slashed .202/.289/.364 in 225 plate appearances at the hot corner, posting a negative fWAR for the second straight season. With two years of arbitration remaining, it remains to be seen how Gorman fits into St. Louis’ plans, potentially opening the door for Bohm, a Nebraska native who grew up as a Cards fan."
In September, we broke down the biggest needs for St. Louis and Bohm's name was one we tossed out there as someone who could make sense for the Cardinals, if they shop for a bat.
Should The Cardinals Make A Splash?
Bohm is 30 years old and can play the hot corner, as well as first base in a pinch. In 2026, he slashed .249/.315/.383 with a .698 OPS, 15 home runs, 88 RBIs and 29 doubles in 155 games played. He saw drops in his batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS, in comparison to 2025. But he also saw improvements in home runs, RBIs and doubles.
Regardless, the production he put up in 2026 would be enough to give the Cardinals a boost over what they had. The real question is whether St. Louis will be willing to spend on guys in the open market. The free agent class this winter is weak on paper. Bohm is going to be among the better bats out there for the taking.
He's good enough that he's someone the Cardinals should consider, although the financials would be the biggest stopping point here. It's an intriguing idea, but for now it shouldn't be considered very likely. If the price isn't high, then that could change. He'd be someone who can help the Cardinals and if he needs to settle for a short-term deal, he'd be an intriguing trade deadline chip. The market dictates the price. If there isn't a big one, then the Cardinals should join.
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