STLtoday.com

82birds wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:01 am

brock118 wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 07:58 am

cardinalsfever44 wrote: ↑20 Feb 2026 17:34 pm Per Jeff Jones on X:

Sources say free agent INF Ramón Urías met with the Cardinals today and is closing in on a deal. Originally signed by St. Louis as a free agent from Mexico, the 31 year old righty had 11 HR and a .675 OPS for Baltimore and Houston in 2025.

Sounds like it is a minor league deal. A little surprising he had to settle for that, but makes more sense from Cardinals perspective.

nope. MLB deal.

latest this morning from MLBTR:

By Darragh McDonald | February 21, 2026 at 7:21am CDT

February 21: Urias is in the Cardinals’ clubhouse today, per an update from Jones. It’s expected that Urias and the Cardinals signed a major-league deal. Urias had his physical yesterday, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

82birds wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:58 am so it indeed IS a MLB contract.
I wonder who gets dropped from the 40-man?

12xu wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:29 am If this is a major league deal, it only makes sense if they are planning on using Urias as a starter at 3B, and that they are also not going to use Gorman at 3B much. So, that leads to the assumption that Gorman will be playing 2B, and that Wetherholt will start the season at Memphis. OR, that perhaps some team has offered a very strong offer for Gorman and Bloom is about to accept it. OR, they are planning on using Gorman at 1B, and moving Burleson over to LF.

If none of these options are valid, then the signing of Urias does not make good sense.

12xu wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:29 am If this is a major league deal, it only makes sense if they are planning on using Urias as a starter at 3B, and that they are also not going to use Gorman at 3B much. So, that leads to the assumption that Gorman will be playing 2B, and that Wetherholt will start the season at Memphis. OR, that perhaps some team has offered a very strong offer for Gorman and Bloom is about to accept it. OR, they are planning on using Gorman at 1B, and moving Burleson over to LF.

If none of these options are valid, then the signing of Urias does not make good sense.

12xu wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:29 am If this is a major league deal, it only makes sense if they are planning on using Urias as a starter at 3B, and that they are also not going to use Gorman at 3B much. So, that leads to the assumption that Gorman will be playing 2B, and that Wetherholt will start the season at Memphis. OR, that perhaps some team has offered a very strong offer for Gorman and Bloom is about to accept it. OR, they are planning on using Gorman at 1B, and moving Burleson over to LF.

If none of these options are valid, then the signing of Urias does not make good sense.

TraveledLessRoad wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:03 am What's the downside? $2mil, maybe. Otherwise, he's a gold glove defender with above league average offense. We are young and have zero idea how Saggesse, Gorman, JJ or any of these other dudes are going to pan out. If the kids rise to the occasion, Ramon doesn't play much and spells them from time to time. If the kids flop, you have a viable 3rd, 2nd or 1st base option. He can also be flipped at the deadline as he was last year. Again, zero downside.

RamFan08NY wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 09:59 am

12xu wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:29 am If this is a major league deal, it only makes sense if they are planning on using Urias as a starter at 3B, and that they are also not going to use Gorman at 3B much. So, that leads to the assumption that Gorman will be playing 2B, and that Wetherholt will start the season at Memphis. OR, that perhaps some team has offered a very strong offer for Gorman and Bloom is about to accept it. OR, they are planning on using Gorman at 1B, and moving Burleson over to LF.

If none of these options are valid, then the signing of Urias does not make good sense.

A former GG winner, hits RH, has a little pop, hits RH pitching, and can play 3b or 2b. How does adding a player with that resume not make sense? It would be nice to have a few of those players on the bench.

Cardinals4Life wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 09:55 am

12xu wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:29 am If this is a major league deal, it only makes sense if they are planning on using Urias as a starter at 3B, and that they are also not going to use Gorman at 3B much. So, that leads to the assumption that Gorman will be playing 2B, and that Wetherholt will start the season at Memphis. OR, that perhaps some team has offered a very strong offer for Gorman and Bloom is about to accept it. OR, they are planning on using Gorman at 1B, and moving Burleson over to LF.

If none of these options are valid, then the signing of Urias does not make good sense.

That part is not happening.

12xu wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 10:13 am

RamFan08NY wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 09:59 am

12xu wrote: ↑21 Feb 2026 08:29 am If this is a major league deal, it only makes sense if they are planning on using Urias as a starter at 3B, and that they are also not going to use Gorman at 3B much. So, that leads to the assumption that Gorman will be playing 2B, and that Wetherholt will start the season at Memphis. OR, that perhaps some team has offered a very strong offer for Gorman and Bloom is about to accept it. OR, they are planning on using Gorman at 1B, and moving Burleson over to LF.

If none of these options are valid, then the signing of Urias does not make good sense.

A former GG winner, hits RH, has a little pop, hits RH pitching, and can play 3b or 2b. How does adding a player with that resume not make sense? It would be nice to have a few of those players on the bench.

All winter long, many of us have stressed how badly the Cardinals needed a RHH OF, which they have needed for years. They could have signed several good 30 year+ vets to fill that need for just a bit more than this IF has signed for. They already had Saggese, Fermin, and Gorman to play at 3B and/or 2B. When I and others posted about this, we were attacked by so many posters whose contention was that the Cards are in a rebuild, they don't need to sign old vets to keep the youngsters from getting PT.

Urias is not a bad UT IF, but seems to me that he was not the primary need for this team in 2026.