The St. Louis Cardinals appear to be in hot pursuit of free agent OF Carlos Beltran. According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Beltran is deciding between the St. Louis Cardinals, the Cleveland Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Beltran, who will be 35 in the 2012 season, had a rebound 2011 campaign, hitting a strong .300/.385/.525 after struggling with injuries in his two prior years. Earlier reports suggested the Cards were the leading contender to acquire the center fielder's services.
As recently as Wednesday, the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays were also in the running for Beltran.
Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the St. Louis Cardinals, be sure to visit Viva El Birdos or drop by Baseball Nation for more news and notes from around the league. Keep abreast of all MLB transactions and rumors at MLB Daily Dish.