As we head into the second day of the Winter Meetings in San Diego, a few major moves have already been made.
The New York Mets signed right-hander and AL Cy Young Justin Verlander to a two-year, $86 million deal, while their division rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, bolstered their chances for a World Series return in 2023, signing Trea Turner to an 11-year, $300 million deal.
So far, the St. Louis Cardinals, the first victims of the Phillies incredible surge, have been quiet.
But President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak is not planning on maintaining the status quo, once again reiterating his desire to find a new catcher to replace Yadier Molina as soon as possible.
In meeting with reporters today, John Mozeliak indicated he's hopeful the #STLCards leave San Diego with a starting catcher.
Obviously many variables will impact this, but it's clear the Cardinals want to find their backstop ASAP.
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) December 6, 2022
Cards Aggressively Searching For Catchers
Mozeliak was clear that he hopes the Cardinals leave the Winter Meetings with a new catcher.
St. Louis has already been linked to Sean Murphy, Christian Vazquez, Danny Jansen, and Alejandro Kirk.
Several teams are in the mix for Murphy, so it ultimately depends on how much the Cardinals are willing to give up in order to add him to their roster.
Vazquez is an interesting fit, as both he and Molina share the same agent.
If the Cardinals are to add a catcher via trade, Jansen would likely come at a more team-friendly cost.
St. Louis was reluctant to part with a number of their top prospects while in trade discussions with the Washington Nationals for Juan Soto at the deadline.
Granted, somebody like Murphy wouldn’t cost as much as Soto did, but the Cardinals would still have to deal away some prospects if a trade for the former Gold Glove catcher is to happen.
NEXT: Cardinals Fan Expresses Frustration After Trea Turner Signing