According to what I just read on Spotrac, the top 15 MLB teams have payrolls ranging from $172M to $334M. I don’t see how the Cardinals will ever be able to swim in that water. Their only chance is going to be to manage their affairs intelligently like the Brewers, Rays, Guardians, and some other teams do. When Walker gets to arbitration, they might be able to squeeze 2 or 3 additional years out of him in order for him to nail down some guaranteed millions But when he hits free agency, it’s ‘By-by Cardinals’.