The St. Louis Cardinals roster is taking shape as we get closer to Opening Day. On Sunday, Sonny Gray was named the team’s Opening Day starter. We also know who will be behind the plate and at first base. And that is the chaotic situation the Cardinals find themselves in.
The Chaotic Catcher Situation
How We Got Here
When the Cardinals declined to bring back Paul Goldschmidt this winter, the starting first baseman’s job opened up. Would it be Alec Burleson? Would it be Brenden Donovan? Could Jordan Walker be moved to first base? The Cardinals answered the question by announcing Willson Contreras would be the first baseman for the Cardinals in 2025.
Now, that by itself is not what makes the situation chaotic. Despite catching the last two seasons, the Cardinals had expressed interest in moving Contreras to another full-time position. First base makes the most sense as it frees up the designated hitter position for players like Nolan Gorman. Contreras moving to first base made sense. The next logical step would be to choose who would catch between Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages. Herrera showed offensive potential last season but struggled behind the plate. Pages showed he was a reliable defender but did not have success at the plate, although he did hit some big home runs for the team. The Cardinals were going to need to choose between the two.
At this point, we are not in a chaotic situation yet. What has made this chaotic is the Cardinals’ decision not to move on from either Herrera or Pages. Both are going to be on the roster to start the season. Herrera will likely start with Pages on the bench.
This is Chaotic
At first glance, it may not seem like a chaotic situation. The Cardinals need a starting catcher and a backup catcher. However, to understand why this situation is not ideal, you must look at where Herrera and Pages are in their careers.
Both catchers want to find their footing in the majors and show what they can do. Likewise, the Cardinals must see what they have in both catchers. This is not like the Yadier Molina days where catchers like Gerald Laid or Tony Cruz sat on the bench and played maybe once a week. Herrera and Pages need regular playing time to discover what they bring as players.
This is where the problem starts. The Cardinals could rotate Herrera and Pages and keep the rest of the lineup the same. However, we know Herrera has offensive potential. He hit .301 last season in 229 at-bats. Furthermore, Herrera has hit well above .300 so far in Spring Training. He has to get at-bats, even if he is not catching. As a result, even if Pages gets the start behind the plate, Herrera could stay in the lineup as the designated hitter. Problem solved, right?
Nope! Herrera and Pages are not the only players the Cardinals are trying to get more looks at. Nolan Gorman is someone the Cardinals want to get more looks at to see what kind of player he is. Yes, we have a few seasons with Gorman, and we know who he has been so far. However, consistent at-bats are the only way to see if he can be more. Gorman needs regular at-bats this season. If Herrera shifts to DH a few times a week, that will take away at-bats from Gorman.
Many Players Need At-Bats
Aside from Gorman and Herrera, there are others who need at-bats. Lars Nootbarr, Michael Siani, Victor Scott II, Jordan Walker, and Alec Burleson all need at-bats for their reasons. Getting these at-bats for these players is essential for a season about building for the future.
If Herrera moves to DH, Gorman could move to second base; however, that sends Brenden Donovan to the outfield, taking away at-bats from Nootbarr, Siani, Scott, Walker, or Burleson.
What is the Solution?
The Cardinals could have avoided this chaos had they chosen between Herrera and Pages in the off-season. The best way to fix the situation is to do just that: choose.
That is easier said than done, given where we are in Spring Training. As such, the Cardinals’ best bet would be to start the season with Herrera and Pages and see how both perform after the first month. At that point, choose one and trade the other. The other would become the full-time catcher.
The Cardinals could sign someone to fill the backup catcher position. Yan Gomes and Yasmani Grandal are still available. Furthermore, others could become available if they do not make the team out of Spring Training.
The Cardinals may have created a chaotic situation. However, they can fix it if they take advantage of the opportunity.
