By Chris Brown / STL Baseball Today | @cbrown_STLBBT | Nov. 12, 2015, 2:48 pm CT, updated 11/15
While John Mozeliak has said he hopes to bring back Jason Heyward, a “tremendous fit,” on a multi-year contract, the Cardinals GM certainly isn’t letting it get in the way of considering other options to improve the offense.
ESPN’s Buster Olney reported Thursday morning that the Cardinals are among the many teams interested in signing the versatile Ben Zobrist to a multi-year deal.
The 34-year-old free agent, who’s fresh off a World Series Championship with the Kansas City Royals, is not without his fair share of suitors, as the Cubs, Braves, Nationals, and Mets are among the teams with reported interest in his services. Chris Cotillo of SB Nation reports that at least 12 teams have already checked in on Zobrist, who would be a fit on nearly every team due to his ability to handle practically every position on the field.
Acquired by Kansas City in a trade deadline deal with the A’s this past summer, Zobrist batted .276 with 13 home runs, 36 doubles, and 56 RBI in 126 games last season, stashing an impressive .303/.365/.515 batting line during the postseason.
If signed by the redbirds, Zobrist, who turns 35 in May, would likely serve in a super-utility role, backing up the middle infield as well as the outfield corners. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that while the Cardinals have expressed interest, they aren’t convinced they can sell to Zobrist that they could provide him a prominent role, and the club also looking at utility infielders “for more platoon at-bats.”
Update 11/15 @ 1:15 pm CT: Zobrist’s agent, Bobby Witt, confirmed to MLB Network Radio on Sunday that “quite a few” teams have been interested in the 34-year-old. Witt also said that a major factor for Zobrist is joining a winning club.
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Feature image used under Creative Commons by Keith Allison. No changes made. Image license.
