Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Cardinals Insider Squashes Outfield Reunion Hopes, For Now

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 16, 2026 10:00 AM ET

There is still over one month to go before the St. Louis Cardinals are going to kick off the 2026 Major League Baseball season.

If the Cardinals want to make another move, there will be plenty of time to do so. Cardinals president of baseball operations, Chaim Bloom, alluded to the fact that he's still open to the idea of a move, while speaking to the media to kick off Spring Training.

"As we look at that, whether it is short-term or long-term," Bloom said. "I have been saying it, but we haven't yet made an acquisition along those lines, but we're continuing to look for that right fit. We do potentially have some opportunities in that outfield. Ideally, it's from the right side but that was going to be something we looked at either way. I don't think [Lars Nootbaar's recovery] really changes that. Lars is kind of progressing more or less how you would have hoped. Had the surgery and it went as expected."

It doesn't sound like a reunion is coming

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

One name that has been consistently linked to St. Louis in speculation over the last few months as there has been chatter about the idea of adding a right-handed bat is old friend Randal Grichuk. While this is the case, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Cardinals "have not expressed much interest" in bringing Grichuk back.

"Former Cardinals outfielder Randal Grichuk remains available — and is a fit for the part-time, right-handed role — but as of this past weekend, the Cardinals have not expressed much interest in a reunion," Goold wrote. "That’s partially because they want to see what they already have in-house."

Goold noted that the Cardinals are giving Thomas Saggese some looks in the outfield throughout camp to see if he can be a right-handed solution for the club out there. The Cardinals' lineup overall is lefty-heavy. Saggese has shown in a small sample size that he can help this club offensively when he's in the mix. Finding a pathway to innings for him in the infield arguably would be a better path forward than bringing in a more expensive veteran with less upside.

If Saggese can earn a role in the outfield over the next month, that would be a positive step forward.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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