St. Louis has strengthened its pitching staff this offseason, but the lineup could still benefit from an additional right-handed hitter, especially with Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras no longer on the roster. The Cardinals were already heavy on left-handed bats, and the departures of two regulars from the 2025 lineup have only highlighted that imbalance.
During a fan event on Saturday, Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom addressed questions about whether the team might add offensive help, with Right hand pitcher name coming up in particular. According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Bloom acknowledged that the roster has “room” for a right-handed hitter.
Goold reported that Bloom pushed back against the idea that the Cardinals intend to operate as a pipeline that develops players only to trade or lose them, using Brendan Donovan as an example. Bloom emphasized that this is not the organization’s long-term vision. When asked directly about adding offense, Bloom said the team is exploring options. A fan then mentioned Bader, which drew applause, and Bloom confirmed the Cardinals could use a right-handed outfielder, noting that Bader is indeed a possibility, though he declined to comment on contract expectations.
Bader would be an appealing reunion candidate. In 2025, he posted a .277/.347/.449 slash line with 17 home runs and 54 RBIs across 146 games with the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies. Cardinals fans are well acquainted with Bader, who spent more than five seasons in St. Louis before being dealt to the New York Yankees.
If the Cardinals look elsewhere, other right-handed outfielders still available in free agency include Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Hunter Renfroe, and Austin Hays, among others.
