By Josh Jacobs
| June 1, 2025
The St. Louis Cardinals have officially taken a page out of the Chicago Cubs’ offseason playbook — and made a move that could redefine their franchise trajectory.
After watching the Cubs transform into World Series contenders this year thanks to a gutsy trade for Houston Astros star Kyle Tucker, the Cardinals mirrored the aggressive approach by pulling off their own blockbuster: acquiring Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox.
The deal — finalized just weeks before Spring Training — saw the Cardinals ship off a hefty package including top pitching prospect Tekoah Roby, infielder Thomas Saggese, and 2024 first-rounder Jayson Bristow. The trade stunned much of the league, but it delivered an elite bat to the heart of a Cardinals lineup that already showed signs of promise in 2024.
Devers, 28, is in the third year of a 10-year, $313 million contract and was coming off a stellar campaign in Boston. Despite rumblings of friction with the Red Sox front office and questions over his long-term fit at third base, Devers is producing at an MVP level early in his St. Louis tenure — slashing .291/.413/.523 with 12 homers and 52 RBIs through May.
This marks the most aggressive offseason maneuver by St. Louis since the acquisitions of Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, though this time the Cardinals had to pay full freight. Unlike those past deals, which capitalized on other clubs’ financial flexibility, this move reflects a new mindset in the front office — one that aligns with new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom’s vision.
Bloom, who played a central role in negotiating Devers’ extension while with Boston, reportedly pushed hard for the deal after identifying Devers as the perfect centerpiece to elevate the Cardinals’ offense.
The early results speak volumes.
St. Louis now ranks top five in the league in runs scored, wOBA, and team fWAR. Devers’ presence has had a cascading effect throughout the order. Ivan Herrera (185 wRC+) and Brendan Donovan (145 wRC+) are thriving, while young talents like Masyn Winn and Lars Nootbaar continue to grow into complementary stars. Willson Contreras, now healthy and hitting behind Devers, has rebounded from a sluggish 2024 start.
The Cardinals’ current starting nine features no weak links — and with Devers in the middle, pitchers face relentless pressure inning after inning:
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LF Lars Nootbaar
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SS Masyn Winn
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3B Rafael Devers
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C Willson Contreras
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DH Ivan Herrera
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2B Brendan Donovan
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RF Alec Burleson
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CF Victor Scott II
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1B Nolan Gorman
Even with Nolan Arenado’s eventual departure — he was traded to the Seattle Mariners shortly after the Devers deal to clear salary and bring back pitching depth — the Cardinals’ infield remains one of the league’s most formidable units.
St. Louis entered the 2025 season with a trimmed payroll around $106 million, giving them the flexibility to absorb Devers’ long-term deal. Ownership greenlit the move, signaling renewed belief in the club’s young core and its playoff viability.
While it’s too early to call the move a slam dunk, the Cardinals are off to one of their best starts in years — and fan engagement at Busch Stadium is surging. For the first time since the early Arenado-Goldschmidt years, St. Louis has the feel of a true contender.
And perhaps most satisfying for Cardinals fans? They did it by out-Cubbing the Cubs.
