Written by MLB.com
Though the Cardinals did not make any transactions during their four-day stay at the Winter Meetings, it did not take long after their return to St. Louis for them to complete their pursuit of a new center fielder.
After a picture of Dexter Fowler boarding a flight from Las Vegas to St. Louis surfaced on social media, MLB.com confirmed through sources that Fowler was en route to St. Louis to undergo a physical, which he passed on Thursday night. An agreement between the Cardinals and Fowler is already in place, and the team is poised to hold a Friday morning news conference at Busch Stadium that will air on MLB.com at 10 CT. The club has not confirmed the deal, which was first reported by Frank Cusumano of KSDK Sports.
It was no secret that the Cardinals were zeroed in on Fowler, a dynamic outfielder whom they believe can change the look of their lineup and improve them defensively. He’d likely take over in center, which will allow for Randal Grichuk to shift to left field.
General manager John Mozeliak acknowledged on Wednesday that the landscape of the market would likely require him to “step out of your comfort zone to get something done.” It was not immediately known how that manifested itself, as far as the length of an agreement with Fowler and the contract figures involved, although MLB Network insider Jon Heyman tweeted that the expectation is that the deal would pay Fowler at least $16 million per season for five years and be worth between $80 million and $90 million.
Signing Fowler would cost the Cardinals their first-round pick (19th overall) in the 2017 Draft, since the Cubs made him a qualifying offer. That loss appeared to become more palpable to the Cardinals after they got an understanding of the caliber of prospects other teams were asking for in trade discussions. The Cardinals, in particular, had no interest in dealing top prospect Alex Reyes to address this outfield need.
Fowler, 30, entered the free-agent market last offseason hoping to land a multiyear contract but found that interest was stifled because of his attachment to the qualifying offer system. Fowler instead returned to the Cubs under a one-year deal and had a standout season that made him much more coveted this time around.
To continue reading this article, click here.
