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Cardinals GM has no regrets over Heyward trade

Jeff Curry / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Jason Heyward's tenure in St. Louis hasn't gone as planned thus far.

Acquired from the Atlanta Braves this winter in exchange for right-hander Shelby Miller, the 25-year-old outfielder has languished at the plate, managing a career-worst .676 OPS (83 OPS+) through his first 44 games with the Cardinals

Miller, meanwhile, is thriving in Atlanta. A former first-round pick by the Cardinals, the 24-year-old leads the National League with a sterling 1.48 ERA (262 ERA+) and a 0.88 WHIP across 10 starts with the Braves.

Amid a brilliant start from Miller along with Heyward's early struggles - he's also poised to become a free agent at season's end - there must be some regret on the part of St. Louis Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak, right?

"No."

And?

"And I think whenever you make those kind of deals, there are reasons behind it," Mozeliak told Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "And at the time, we felt that we had to do something. Not only looking at how we want this club to be put together, but we did not feel like there might be any other opportunities that would meet the type of criteria we’re looking for."

Heyward, an All-Star as a rookie in 2010, devolved into a total enigma over the last few years. His performance at the plate has fluctuated dramatically throughout his career, but Mozeliak remains confident he can recapture the success he enjoyed throughout most of his time in Atlanta.

Season HR BB% K% ISO wRC+
2010 18 14.6 % 20.5 % .179 134
2011 14 11.2 % 20.4 % .162 96
2012 27 8.9 % 23.3 % .210 121
2013 14 10.9 % 16.6 % .173 120
2014 11 10.3 % 15.1 % .113 110
2015 5 6.3 % 19.3 % .147 86

“Though we’ve passed the quarter turn, I still think there’s more in the tank for him," Mozeliak said. "He’s a capable offensive player. I do think he’s going to have to make some adjustments. When you look at the type of talent he is, and the type of athlete he is, expectations are high. Our game is pretty simple: you do or you don’t. I do think he’s the type of athlete that can do that. Historically he has.”

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