Free agent center fielder (CF) Dexter Fowler of the Chicago Cubs has agreed to a new deal with National League Central rival St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, according to sources. The news comes a little over a month when Dexter Fowler helped the Chicago Cubs win the franchise's first Word Series championship in 108 years. A news conference is scheduled this Friday to announce the deal.
The St. Louis Cardinals were hell-bent on acquiring a center fielder after last Thursday's Winter Meeting near Washington, D.C. Trade talks with other teams yielded zero results due to the St. Louis Cardinals lack of tradeable assets.
There were reports that the St. Louis Cardinals had talks with the Chicago White Sox regarding Adam Eaton before he was traded to the Washington Nationals. The St. Louis Cardinals eventually gave up on Adam Eaton when they realized that the Washington Nationals offered three bona-fide pitching prospects. Assets that obviously the St. Louis Cardinals doesn't have.
What the St. Louis Cardinals eventually got is the next best option in Dexter Fowler. The acquisition of Dexter Fowler helps plug a lot of holes for the St. Louis Cardinals.
The primary goal of the St. Louis Cardinals is to become more athletic and better defensively. Dexter Fowler can be the answer to their problems.
Dexter Fowler, 30, may not be on the same level as Adam Eaton is, but he's an upgrade compared to current St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Randal Grichuk. Dexter Fowler has better instincts than Randal Grichuk.
With the arrival of Dexter Fowler, Randal Grichuk will most likely move to left field as Dexter Fowler is expected to play center field in the next couple of couple of years for the St. Louis Cardinals. Leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter will eventually become the St. louis Cardinals' No. 3 hitter.
In the 2016 World Series, Dexter Fowler had an on-base percentage of .393 and hit 13 home runs. As the leadoff hitter of the Chicago Cubs in 2016, Dexter Fowler's first-inning on-base percentage was .479.
Terms of the new deal between Dexter Fowler and the St. Louis Cardinals were not immediately known.
