The three-time All-Star can expect be in a cast 4-6 weeks before even beginning a rehab process that will take at least another month. And because the three-time defending NL Central champions are expecting to be without Peralta until June at the earliest, other teams are circling.
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However, Mozeliak is preaching patience.
“Everyone’s sort of pounding on, ‘What are we going to do?’ I think I’d like to see what we have first and then determine what’s next,” Mozeliak said (via ESPN.com). “Obviously, our goal is to be competitive this year, and, if we feel we need to go outside the organization to improve on those odds, then we will. Right now, I don’t think that’s something we feel we have to do at all.”
Mozeliak said general managers of other teams have been calling — he characterized the calls as “ambulance chasing” — to discuss the availability of utility players as well as high-priced veteran shortstops.
The Cardinals are evaluating in-house options: former Padres second baseman Jedd Gyorko, acquired in the offseason; utility player Greg Garcia; and prospect Aledmys Diaz, who is in the team’s lineup for its Grapefruit League game Thursday against the Mets in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Typically in the No. 3, 4 or 5 spot in the lineup in 2015, Peralta batted .275/.334/.411 with 17 homers and 71 RBIs in 155 games.
