photo: Tommy Edman (Jon Durr/USA TODAY Sports)
The St. Louis Cardinals came to terms on a two-year contract with Tommy Edman, avoiding an arbitration hearing. Our weekly history feature highlights prior team transactions and notable events that occurred during the January 22-28 period, including the acquisition of the team’s first African American player.
Cardinals ink Tommy Edman to a two-year deal
On Monday, January 22nd, the St. Louis Cardinals signed utility player Tommy Edman to a two-year contract, avoiding an arbitration hearing.
The contract is expected to be worth $16.5 million over 2024 and 2025, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The deal covers Edman’s final two years of arbitration eligibility.
Edman was the only arbitration eligible player who did not come to terms with the Cardinals prior to the January 11th deadline. They were headed to a hearing before this announcement, as they were $450,000 apart on a one-year contract at the time the deadline passed.
Edman had arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist in October. It is unlikely he will be ready for the beginning of spring training, as he had not been cleared to swing. He hopes to get at least two weeks of at-bats before spring training concludes.
News and Notes for the Cardinals offseason
This section features offseason news items each week that do not require extensive coverage.
- The Cardinals 2024 spring training begins with pitchers and catchers reporting on February 13. First workouts for pitchers and catchers is on February 14. Position players report on February 18 and will hold their first workout on February 19.
The Cardinals announced their list of non-roster invitees. Twenty-seven players are invited, including 14 pitchers, seven catchers, four infielders, and two outfielders.
- The Cardinals are scrapping their red jerseys for Spring Training and will don their regular white and gray regular season uniforms for the 2024 pre-season.
The move appears to be in anticipation of the unveiling of the Cardinals City Connect jerseys at some point in 2024. MLB guidelines allow teams to have five types of jerseys, two each for home and road, plus one alternative concept.
The Cardinals currently sport the white and cream jerseys for home games and the gray and blue jerseys for the road. The City Connect jerseys, when they arrive, will then be the alternative concept, making the spring training red jerseys no longer allowed.
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.
Transactions
There are no transactions to report.
Injury Report
- IF/OF Tommy Edman had arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist in October. The surgery was not publicly announced by the Cardinals, and its occurrence was revealed in several reports on X (formerly Twitter) on January 4. Edman will not be ready to hit when Spring Training opens.
- During the Winter Warm-Up, POBO John Mozeliak provided updates on Brendan Donovan and Dylan Carlson, both of whom ended the season on the injured list. Mozeliak stated that both Donovan (elbow) and Carlson (ankle) are expected to be ready to go for Spring Training.
Looking Ahead
Spring Training begins soon. The first workout for pitchers and catchers is on February 14. Position players follow on February 19. The first spring training games are on February 24 with split squads playing the Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium and playing the Mets in St. Lucie.
The Cardinals Spring Training schedule can be found here.
The last spring training game in Florida will be against the Astros in Palm Beach on March 24. The Cardinals will then travel to Arizona to play the final two spring games against the Cubs on March 25 and 26.
The regular season begins on March 28 with a four-game series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. They end the road trip in San Diego with a three-game set beginning April 1.
The Cardinals home opener is on April 4 against the Miami Marlins.
Blast from the Past
This week’s Blast from the Past continues the look at some notable trades and/or signings that occurred during the offseason each week of December and January. This week, we review other notable events for the week of January 22 through January 28 in addition to player transactions.
Player transactions
January 26, 1954 – The Cardinals traded Eddie Erautt, Dick Sisler, and $100,000 to San Diego of the Pacific Coast League for first baseman Tom Alston. Alston was the first African American player to play for the Cardinals.
Other notable events
January 22, 1945 – Stan Musial enlisted in the military and missed the entire 1945 season.
January 23, 1967 –Musial is named General Manager of the Cardinals, replacing Bob Howsam. Howsam went on to be the chief engineer of the Cincinnati Reds’ “Big Red Machine” dynasty from 1967-1977.
January 23, 1968 – Joe Medwick is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Medwick, nicknamed “Ducky”, played for the Cardinals from 1932-1940 and again from 1947-48.
January 27, 1947 – Fred Saigh gains 90% interest in the Cardinals by purchasing the interest of minority partner Robert Hennegan.
January 28, 1953 – Cardinals’ owner Saigh is found guilty of income tax evasion and is sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. He served only five months. Saigh planned to sell the team to a consortium that would move it to Houston but instead was persuaded to sell the team to Anheuser Busch for $3.5 million less to keep the team in St. Louis.
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