A look at significant trades or free-agent signings that reveal the spectrum of deals John Mozeliak made while leading Cardinals baseball operations since October 2007. Each is given a rating on a scale of 1 to 5 bow ties, with 5 of Mo鈥檚 signature accessory being the best.
The transactions discussed here are in chronological order, and they are meant to be illustrative not comprehensive.
OPENING MOVE (2007)
In his first trade, Mozeliak swapped All-Star fan favorite Jim Edmonds for a minor leaguer with 蜜芽传媒 ties from San Diego鈥檚 system: David Freese. The rest is October history.
HOLLIDAY SHOPPING (2009)
Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, left, and Chairman Bil DeWitt Jr. pose with new signing Matt Holliday after acquiring the outfielder in a trade in July 2009.
It took chasing a deal from Colorado to Oakland, but what an impact Matt Holliday made 鈥 on the lineup and community. Holliday tallied 23.1 wins above replacement (WAR) in 982 games, while players sent to the A鈥檚 for him combined for less than 1.0 WAR. Holliday later signed the richest free-agent contract in club history (still) and typified a signature model: acquire and extend.
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STARTER-UPPERS (2008 & 2018)
They aren鈥檛 the headliners of other moves and there鈥檚 still a year to go, but two under-the-radar free-agent signings for starters stabilized rotations a decade apart. In 2008, Mozeliak signed Kyle Lohse in mid-March and to an extension later, netting a 55-35 starter with a 3.90 ERA and 6.3 WAR. Ahead of 2018, the Cardinals went abroad to sign Miles Mikolas, and while he鈥檚 struggled for two years, he鈥檚 a two-time All-Star and 11.0-WAR starter.
CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT (2011)
A bold move at the trade deadline sent the team鈥檚 top young talent and jewel of its new farm focus 鈥 Colby Rasmus 鈥 to Toronto in a deal that would ultimately involve three teams and 11 players. In return, Mozeliak jolted the team and retooled a pitching staff with Octavio Dotel, Edwin Jackson and Marc Rzepczynski for a World Series championship run.
THE PUJOLS PIVOT (2011 & 2022)
Unable to forge an extension with Albert Pujols or outbid the Angels, Mozeliak had a backup plan: sign Carlos Beltran. Beltran had 6.2 WAR in two years, just behind Pujols鈥 6.4 WAR with the Angels at the same time. Beltran played in 29 playoff games and won a pennant in 蜜芽传媒, while Pujols played three playoff games total with the Angels. Plus, there were consequential benefits 鈥 maintaining Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina for their careers and a dramatic reunion with Pujols in time for his 700th home run and farewell tour in 2022.
THE HEYWARD BET (2014-15)
Following a well-established practice, Mozeliak paid a steep price that included Shelby Miller to get Jason Heyward with a year to convince him to stay. Heyward had a career second half, lifted a run-prevention dynamo to the playoffs 鈥 and then bolted for less guaranteed money from the Cubs, leaving the Cardinals scrambling and their model starting to wobble.
WINTER SPLURGES (2015-16)
Cardinals center fielder Dexter Fowler and then-Cardinals senior vice president and general manager John Mozeliak joke around during a news conference introducing Fowler after his signing on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016, at Busch Stadium.
Sticker shock from the trade market sent the Cardinals shopping elsewhere. The Cardinals committed $30.5 million to Brett Cecil and $82.5 million to Dexter Fowler. No team spent more on new players that offseason. Neither player thrived in 蜜芽传媒. Including $80 million to Mike Leake the previous winter, the Cardinals committed $193 million to receive 1.5 WAR total. Costly misses.
THE FISH THAT GOT AWAY (2017)
Pressure was intense to add a cleanup hitter, and the Marlins held all the power. The Cardinals paid a princely sum to acquire Marcel Ozuna off a robust season. Hindsight is unkind. Ozuna had 4.6 WAR and one National League Championship Series appearance in two seasons with the Cardinals. The pitchers who went to Miami, Sandy Alcantara and Zac Gallen, became All-Star aces. Both received Cy Young Award votes. Alcantara won it in 2022. Repercussions didn鈥檛 stop there. Randal Grichuk was traded to excel elsewhere. The search continued for a franchise outfielder that began tragically in 2014 with Oscar Taveras鈥 death. GOLDY RUSH (2018)
John Mozeliak, Cardinals president of baseball operations, talks with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on the first day of workouts for the full squad on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, at the team鈥檚 spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla.
Returning to the classic acquire-and-extend move, Mozeliak moved urgently to make the deal for Paul Goldschmidt that stabilized the Cardinals defense, got 22.9 WAR in six years, signed the largest contract in club history and enjoyed an MVP year in 2022. Just not the October success sought. Arizona and Luke Weaver, a key part of the trade, reached the World Series during Goldschmidt鈥檚 tenure with Cardinals, who did not.
RAY OF HOPE (2020)
Traded in January to Tampa Bay, Randy Arozarena hit at every level before the Cardinals dealt him and Jose Martinez to Tampa Bay for centerpiece prospect Matthew Liberatore. Given a chance to play by the Rays that he wasn鈥檛 with the Cardinals, Arozarena bombarded MLB鈥檚 bubble postseason with records, won the American League Championship Series MVP one year and AL Rookie of the Year the next. A new narrative blooms this spring, however, as Liberatore鈥檚 strong camp hints at impact potential. THE ARENADO BLOCKBUSTER (2021-25)
Several years in the making, Mozeliak ultimately navigated a complex trade of deferred money, opt-outs and $50 million from Colorado to land Nolan Arenado, one of the best all-around players in the National League and an ideal fit. A four-bow-tie move if not for the loose ends that followed 鈥 not augmenting the roster around Arenado-Goldschmidt and then trying, unsuccessfully, to trade Arenado this past winter.
鈥 Derrick Goold
