The St. Louis Cardinals have been relatively quiet this winter.
However, that doesn’t mean that the moves they made weren’t impactful.
They signed Willson Contreras to replace Yadier Molina behind the plate and add an extra power bat to their lineup.
Their offense now consists of Contreras, MVP Paul Goldschmidt, and MVP finalist Nolan Arenado.
And so, big things are expected for the Cardinals offensively in 2023.
Their lineup could possibly compete with juggernauts such as the San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
On Twitter, Cardinals writer John Denton noted that Bradford Doolittle of ESPN is predicting a big year for the team’s offense.
The talented @bbdoolittle of ESPN has the #STLCards starting lineup ranked No. 2 overall in MLB, behind the #Padres & ahead of the #Braves, #Astros & #Blue Jays. The Cards are projected to have 6 players in the 90th percentile or better by OPS+, the most in baseball. (MORE, 1/2)
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) February 7, 2023
The Cardinals lineup is ranked No. 2 in all of baseball by Doolittle, behind only the Padres.
Doolittle of course noted that the Cardinals have six players in the 90th percentile or better by OPS+.
That is the most in all of baseball as of now.
What could help the Cardinals is the health of Tyler O’Neill and Dylan Carlson.
Both young outfielders had solid seasons in 2021, but dealt with injuries in 2022 and took a step back.
But if healthy, they should add more firepower to an already strong lineup.
A repeat performance from Brendan Donovan, an NL Rookie of the Year finalist, could also give the Cards a boost offensively.
Doolittle noted that the starting pitching is a concern, but that the Cards’ stellar defense could help out the pitching staff in 2023.
There are things the Cardinals could do to improve, but they do look like the favorites to capture another NL Central crown.
NEXT: Willson Contreras Shares His Excitement To Be A Cardinal
