Cubs: National League Central will be far less competitive in 2021

Chicago Cubs: St. Louis bogged down by payroll concerns

The Cardinals should be in the best position of any club in the division.

St. Louis has a strong pitching staff and payroll flexibility to add offense where it sees fit. Perhaps the Redbirds would even take on a trade for Nolan Arenado or Francisco Lindor.

But, about the payroll flexibility.

The Cardinals have been operating like a team with very little to spend this offseason. They declined Kolten Wong’s club option in a rather curious decision. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the team has hardly checked in on free agents other than internal ones, those being Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina.

Moreover, the Cardinals are anticipating additional revenue losses stemming from reduced attendance, which especially impacts a team with one of the best attendance rates in baseball.

St. Louis desperately needs and impact bat and possibly fringe rotation depth. But it does not seem likely the Cardinals can make the big splash necessary to put them over the top.