The St. Louis Cardinals are preparing for the 2023 MLB season. With Opening Day right around the corner, St. Louis has their sights set on winning another NL Central title. Superstars such as Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado will lead the charge once again. However, the Cardinals are still dealing with some uncertainty.
Without further ado, here's a look at three Cardinals questions that need answers before 2023 Opening Day.
How does the bullpen shake out?
The Cardinals have an interesting bullpen. Giovanny Gallegos has emerged as a relief star over the past few years. Ryan Helsley has also impressed. Jordan Hicks features some of the best upside in all of baseball, but he's been hampered by injuries.
St. Louis has plenty of other relievers capable of impacting the bullpen in 2023. That is where the questions remain, as it is unclear exactly how this bullpen will shake out. Additionally, the Cardinals don't necessarily have a set closer. Gallegos is the expected closer, but there are other arms who could make a bid for the role if he suffers any setbacks during the season.
The Cardinals bullpen realistically could be amongst the best in MLB. It will be interesting to see how everything shakes out once spring training ends.
How about the outfield?
The Cardinals' infield is mostly set. The outfield, on the other hand, has question marks.
St. Louis traded Harrison Bader to the New York Yankees ahead of last year's trade deadline. The deal left a hole in centerfield. Tyler O'Neil and Dylan Carlson are among the candidates to take over centerfield duties for St. Louis. Lars Nootbaar could also play the position if necessary.
For now, Nootbaar is expected to play right field. But centerfield is seemingly up for grabs. The fact of the matter is that there is no set certainty in this outfield at the moment.
O'Neal dealt with a number of injuries last season as well. That only adds more potential questions to their depth concerns in the outfield. St. Louis' infield will lead the way in 2023, but they need their outfield to step up as well.
Who will be the Cardinals' DH?
Finally, the Cardinals don't have a set DH entering the season. Albert Pujols helped fill the role last year with a surprisingly resurgent campaign. With Pujols now retired, there are plenty of possible DH options for the Cardinals.
St. Louis' current depth chart has Nolan Gorman penciled in as the DH for 2023, per MLB.com. In the end, it wouldn't be surprising to see different players DH this year. The Cardinals can possibly use the spot as a way to rest their position players while still keeping them in the lineup.
With that being said, there are plenty of teams around baseball that have superstar hitters in their DH roles. The Cardinals may opt to acquire a big bat who can fill the role on a consistent basis ahead of the trade deadline. To open the season, however, the Cardinals may not have a set player in their DH spot.
Final thoughts
The Cardinals are going to be a good team in 2023. The Milwaukee Brewers may challenge them for the NL Central crown, but the division is still St. Louis' to lose. However, answering these three questions would help the Cardinals without question.
It will be interesting to see if these questions receive answers prior to 2023 Opening Day.
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