3 Star Players the Cardinals Should Target in MLB Free Agency

The St. Louis Cardinals won the NL Central last season, but were quickly bounced by the Washington Nationals in the NLCS. In order for St. Louis to take the next step, the Cardinals' lineup might need to add a little more pop in the middle of the order.

Considering the Cardinals were the NL's sixth-worst team in terms of run scored (764), here are three batters the Cardinals could target in free agency.

1. Yasiel Puig, Cleveland Indians

Yasiel Puig hit 24 home runs in 2019. / Ron Vesely/Getty Images

As mentioned above, St. Louis' offense could use a bit more pop. The Cardinals hit only 210 home runs last season, which was the fourth-worst total in the NL and the worst mark among all NL teams that made the postseason. Yasiel Puig would instantly give this team a big bat in the middle of the order, as he hit 24 bombs last season.

2. Nicholas Castellanos, Chicago Cubs

Nicholas Castellanos hit 16 home runs in 52 games with the Cubs. / Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

This move would kill two birds with one stone, as signing Nicholas Castellanos would improve the Cardinals' lineup and weaken the division rival Chicago Cubs. Castellanos was a monster with Chicago last season, hitting 21 doubles and 16 home runs in just 52 games with the Cubs. Castellanos would give St. Louis a reliable veteran presence in the lineup, and he'd make a lot of sense for the Cardinals.

3. Anthony Rendon, Washington Nationals

Anthony Rendon hit 34 home runs last season. / Elsa/Getty Images

If St. Louis really wants to make a splash, Anthony Rendon would be an excellent signing here. Pairing Rendon with Paul Goldschmidt would give the Cardinals one of the most dangerous combinations of corner infielders in the league. He'd likely come with a hefty price tag after another incredible season in 2019, but signing Rendon could make the Cardinals legitimate World Series contenders right away.

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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.