The Cardinals have spent much of this offseason in teardown mode, moving veterans off the big league roster as they lean fully into a rebuild. With the Brendan Donovan trade now in the rearview mirror, the bulk of the heavy lifting appears done on the sell side.

But that doesn’t mean St. Louis is closing up shop just yet.

President of baseball operations Chaim Bloom made it clear during a press conference that the team is still looking to add to its outfield-whether that’s through free agency or a trade.

This isn’t the first time Bloom has mentioned bolstering the outfield. He previously expressed interest in adding a right-handed bat before the holidays.

That was six weeks ago, and a lot has changed since then. Several potential fits-Austin Hays, Harrison Bader, Rob Refsnyder, Willi Castro, and Jorge Mateo-have already signed elsewhere.

Hays, in particular, was a name the Cardinals had some level of interest in before he landed with the White Sox.

Earlier this week, the Cardinals did bring in Nelson Velazquez on a minor league deal. He’s a righty bat who can play the outfield, offering some depth, but it’s clear the front office is still eyeing more established options.

While Bloom didn’t specifically reiterate the right-handed preference this time around, it’s not hard to connect the dots. The current outfield mix leans heavily left-handed, with Lars Nootbaar, Victor Scott II, and Nathan Church all swinging from that side.

Jordan Walker is the lone right-handed regular in the group, while utility types like Thomas Saggese and Jose Fermin can also hit from the right side-but neither is a proven outfield presence.

At this point in the offseason, the pickings are slim. If the Cardinals are still targeting a right-handed hitter, the remaining free agent pool includes names like Miguel Andujar, Austin Slater, and a couple of familiar faces in Randal Grichuk and Tommy Pham. None of those options are game-changers, but they could offer short-term value and a veteran presence to a young clubhouse.

Trade routes are tougher to project, especially with so many teams having already addressed their outfield needs. And given the Cardinals’ current payroll approach, it’s unlikely they’ll take on a significant veteran contract-so don’t expect a splashy move for someone like Nick Castellanos.

Still, there are some intriguing names buried on other teams’ depth charts. The Rays’ Jonny DeLuca, the Blue Jays’ Jonatan Clase, the Phillies’ Johan Rojas, and the Royals’ Drew Waters all fit the mold of controllable, athletic outfielders who might be available under the right circumstances.

There’s another layer to this outfield picture that could complicate things further. Lars Nootbaar underwent offseason surgery to remove bone spurs from both heels.

While the team hasn’t ruled him out for Opening Day, it’s not a lock he’ll be ready. That alone could accelerate the need for another outfield addition.

Nootbaar’s situation is also worth watching for longer-term reasons. He’s under team control for two more seasons-same as Donovan was before his trade-and has drawn interest from other clubs in recent months.

If he gets off to a hot start in 2026, his value could spike heading into the trade deadline. But there’s always the flip side: another injury setback or a slow return from surgery could hurt his trade stock altogether.

For now, the Cardinals are in a bit of a holding pattern-rebuild in motion, payroll trimmed, farm system replenished, but still a few moves away from having a fully rounded roster. Adding a right-handed outfielder isn’t going to change the franchise’s trajectory overnight, but it could provide some much-needed balance and help bridge the gap to whatever comes next in St. Louis.