You won’t believe the jaw-dropping deal Brandon Crawford just signed with the Cardinals!

JUPITER, Fla. — With Tommy Edman's Opening Day availability still unclear following offseason right wrist surgery, the Cardinals have agreed to terms with veteran shortstop Brandon Crawford as insurance behind the rookie sensation Masyn Winn, a source confirmed to MLB.com on Monday.

Crawford, 37, must pass a physical at the team's headquarters in Florida on Tuesday before the deal becomes official. The club has not yet confirmed the transaction.

Crawford previously spent his entire 13-year career with the Giants, where he was a three-time All-Star, four-time Golden Glover and Silver Slugger winner in 2015. Crawford, a career .250 hitter, hit just .194 with a .273 on-base percentage in 2023 in an injury-marred season in which he played only 93 games.

The shortstop was an All-Star in 2021 when he hit .298 with 24 home runs and 90 RBIs. In addition to winning his fourth Gold Glove that season, Crawford also finished fourth in voting for the National League MVP award.

The move comes after middle infielders Tim Anderson (Marlins), Nick Ahmed (Giants), Amed Rosario (Rays), Enrique Hernandez (Dodgers) and Gio Urshela (Tigers) signed elsewhere in recent days.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol admitted Monday morning that Edman was probably still several weeks away from live pitching. Edman, the Cardinals' projected starter in center field and Winn's desired backup at shortstop, underwent surgery in October to repair damage to his right wrist that had bothered him for two seasons.

On Monday, Edman was still hitting off a tee and swinging only at the coaches' soft pitches. Marmol said Edman, the switch-hitter, is more advanced hitting from the left side of the plate than right-handed because of wrist limitations. The Cardinals are hoping to have Edman progress to where he is hitting with trainers and a pitching machine before stepping into the batter's box for a live BP. Only after passing those phases will Edman be available for games, Marmol said.

To further complicate matters for the Cardinals, former Golden Glover Brendan Donovan is coming off ligament repair surgery on his right elbow. The Cardinals have worked to limit his throwing in training camp even though doctors cleared him. Shortstop was one of six positions Donovan played in 2022 as he became the first rookie in team history to win a Gold Glove, but that position appears to be off the table due to the previous arm injury. .

“That's the conversation right now: Who else can do it? Are they in a pinch or can you leave them there for weeks at a time and be comfortable with it? Marmol said late last week, referring to the Cardinals' need for more reliable depth at shortstop. “And just understanding what that looks like. We have the opportunity to do that over the next few weeks.”

Winn, the highest-rated 21-year-old prospect in the Cardinals' system according to MLB Pipeline, made his MLB debut with the Cardinals last August. While he displayed impressive defense, Winn primarily struggled at the plate. He hit just .172 with a .230 on-base percentage in 37 games.

Weighing in at 15 pounds in hopes of being strong enough to better handle MLB pitching, Winn made an impressive Grapefruit League debut on Sunday. He went 3-for-3 with a double and two hard-hitting singles while also contributing a stolen base and the defensive gem of the day in the Cardinals' 3-0 loss to the Astros. Winn, who missed two days of work last week with back stiffness, hopes to use this spring to answer any questions about his preparation to be the Cardinals' everyday starting shortstop.

“Actually, I'm just going to go out and play baseball,” Winn said. “I'm just trying to go out and have a good time, catch some barrels, make some plays and give the fans something to watch.”