Sangamon Digest

The Cardinals will explore trades involving catchers Pedro Pagés, Ivan Herrera and Jimmy Crooks this winter, the Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold wrote in his weekly chat, as relayed by Heavy — though that doesn’t guarantee a deal. Leo Bernal emerged late in the season and top prospect Rainiel Rodriguez is coming; Herrera, mostly a DH, hit 19 homers with 69 RBIs and made his first All-Star team.

Separately, president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom told the Post-Dispatch the club comes out of a 77–85 rebuilding year feeling “deeper” in ready internal starting-pitching options, with more on the way.