Just a couple days after sending David Freese packing to the Los Angeles Angels in a four-player deal, the St. Louis Cardinals have added one of the top free agents on the open market. They inked shortstop Jhonny Peralta to a four-year contract worth a reported $53 million. 

The veteran hit .303 with 11 homers and 55 RBI's with the Detroit Tigers this past season. He did, however, miss 50 games due to being suspeded for PED use and his involvement in the Biogenesis Scandel. After returning to the lineup, Peralta played a huge role in Detroit's ALDS victory over the Oakland Athletics. 

He figures to be a huge improvement over Pete Kozma, who hit .217 with one homer in 143 games last season. St. Louis could still decide to keep Kozma as a utility man with Peralta playing a combination of short, third base and left field. 

This free-agent signing seems to indicate that the Cardinals are now longer seeking a shortstop via the trade market. They had previously been linked to Troy Tulowitzki of the Colorado Rockies and Jed Lowrie of the Athletics, among others. 

St. Louis, who has been rumored to be looking to move either Shelby Miller or Lance Lynn, still has a surplus of starting pitching. It could still move one of them for an outfielder to replace Carlos Beltran, who is likely moving on in free agency.