close
close

Could the Cardinals sign Enrique Hernandez for 2025?

Could the Cardinals sign Enrique Hernandez for 2025?

Yesterday I thought about possible offseason targets for the Cardinals that could be within their price range. Mind you, nothing sexy will happen this winter. When the Cardinals sign anyone, they will be value free agents.

The biggest move I think the Cardinals could make would be to sign Michael Wacha if Sonny Gray is traded, and even that is a long shot.

But I was thinking more about the position players and I realized there was one who could be of use making it to the postseason with the Dodgers. Enter Enrique Hernandez.

Hernandez spent most of his career with the Dodgers and was used as a super utility man. He can play almost anywhere on the field and is a right-handed hitter with some power.

Think of him as similar to Brendan Donovan, but as a right-handed hitter. With the Cardinals expected to cut costs and trade some key players this winter, there might actually be an everyday roster for him here in St. Louis.

The Dodgers have great infield depth, so it's possible he won't be brought back next winter. But I actually like the idea of ​​him being a target for the Cardinals. Nolan Arenado could be on his way out, so they could move Hernandez to third base.

The regular season numbers weren't great for the super utilityman. He hit just .229 with an OPS of .654, despite hitting 12 home runs and driving in 42 runs. It's the postseason where he often shines.

This October, Hernandez is hitting .303 with two bombs, five RBI and an OPS of .863. It's also worth noting that he had a three-homer game in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Cubs in 2017.

He also hit 20 home runs in 2021 as an everyday player for the Red Sox, so there's power in this bat.

The 33-year-old shouldn't be too expensive. Maybe the Cardinals could give him something in the region of two years and $10 million. It's not sexy, but it's a move that would help the Cardinals, and I'd actually prefer it than if they signed Justin Turner or JD Martinez. Both guys are old and Hernandez can play more than one position.

And if the Cardinals are out of contention by the trade deadline, they could potentially shop Hernandez as a contender since many teams value his versatility.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *