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Could the Cardinals sign Enrique Hernandez before 2025?
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Could the Cardinals sign Enrique Hernandez before 2025?

Yesterday I was thinking about potential offseason targets for the Cardinals that could be within their price range. Mind you, nothing sexy is going to happen this winter. If the Cardinals sign anyone, the moves will be for value free agents.

The biggest possible move the Cardinals could make in my opinion would be to sign Michael Wacha if Sonny Gray is traded, and even that is a tall order.

But I was thinking more along the lines of position players, and I realized there’s one who could be useful and is tearing it up with the Dodgers in the postseason. Enrique Hernandez enters.

Hernandez has spent most of his career with the Dodgers and has been used as a super utility guy. He can play just about anywhere on the field and is a right-handed bat with some power.

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

The Dodgers have a lot of depth in the field, so it’s possible he won’t be brought back next winter. But I like the idea of ​​him being a Cardinals target. Nolan Arenado could be on the way out so they could put Hernandez at third base.

The regular season numbers weren’t great for the super utilityman. He hit just .229 with a .654 OPS, although he did hit 12 home runs and drive in 42 runs. It’s the postseason where he often shines.

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

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

The 33-year-old should not be too expensive. Maybe the Cardinals can give him something in the neighborhood of two years and $10 million. It’s not sexy, but it’s a move that would help the Cardinals, and I would even choose this over signing 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 before the trade deadline, they could potentially sell Hernandez to a contender, as many teams will appreciate his versatility.