Cardinals Could Be Top Landing Spot For Five-Time All-Star Closer After Impressive Year
The Cardinals may be the best bet in baseball to get one of the game’s best closers.
The St. Louis Cardinals have stated that they intend to address their bullpen prior to spring training.
Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to spring training in less than two months, and the Cardinals’ bullpen has yet to improve. St. Louis began the offseason by adding three starting pitchers, and the rotation has since improved.
Now, the club’s next goal is fixing the bullpen. St. Louis had one of the worst bullpens in baseball last season so it could make sense to make a major move. One of the best relievers in baseball still is available in free agency so maybe it could make sense for the Cardinals to take a major swing.
Five-time All-Star Josh Hader has been one of the best closers in baseball over the last seven years and now is a free agent. He likely will land a massive deal this offseason possibly over $100 million, but he could be a perfect option for St. Louis.
The Cardinals entered the offseason linked to superstar pitchers like Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. All three are expected to get massive contracts in free agency, but the Cardinals aren’t the ones giving them out. St. Louis still has money to spend. Why not use it on one of the best closers in baseball?
Last year, St. Louis struggled at the end of games, finishing with the 10th-most blown saves (28). Hader could quickly assist in resolving the problem. Last season, he had 33 saves and a 1.28 ERA in 61 appearances.
He may be expensive, but if the Cardinals want to win in 2024, they should go all-in on Hader.
Further Reading:
St. Louis Cardinals Revamp Depleted Rotation With Seasoned Veterans
The St. Louis Cardinals deserve credit for addressing a glaring team need this offseason.
The Cardinals added both starting pitching and bullpen help to bring depth to their major league pitching roster.
The Cardinals will feature a totally revamped starting rotation in 2024.
In separate free-agent transactions, St. Louis signed right-handers Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn to bolster and remake their rotation.
The bullpen was addressed with the trade for right-hander Nick Robertson from the Boston Red Sox, and Rule-5 selection Ryan Fernandez, off the Red Sox organizational roster.
Several quality pitchers are gone from the 2023 Cardinals team that finished the season with a record of 71-91, which placed them last n the National League Central Division.
The Cardinals lost right-handed starter Jack Flaherty, who signed a one-year, free-agent contract with the Detroit Tigers.
Veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright has retired.
Lefty Jordan Montgomery made 21 starts for the Cardinals last year, but he was traded to the Texas Rangers in July. Montgomery is now a highly coveted free-agent.
Right-hander Dakota Hudson made 12 Cardinals starts, and appeared in 18 of their games in the 2023 season. He, too, is a free-agent.
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Those departures left huge holes in the Cardinals starting rotation.
Credit the Cardinals front office with striking quickly to repair a very thin starting staff. The Cardinals moved decisively to replace their departed starters.
The Cardinals now have an experienced, veteran starting rotation.
None of their proposed starters is under 32-years-old
Some analysts and observers believe age and wear and tear can be a serious issue for the Cardinals rotation in the coming season.
If the season were to begin tomorrow, Fangraphs lists the Cardinals starting rotation to be:
Sonny Gray-RHP-Age 34
Miles Mikolas-RHP-Age 35
Kyle Gibson-RHP-Age 36
Lance Lynn-RHP-Age 36
Steven Matz-LHP-Age 32
About the Cardinals rotation:
The replenished 2024 Cardinals starting staff will feature several former high round Major League Baseball draft picks.
Each of their proposed starters will bring years of experience with several teams to the Cardinals
Sonny Gray-5-10, 195 pounds:
Gray pitched last year for the Minnesota Twins. He was an All Star, and went 8-8, with a sparkling 2.79 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. He threw 184 innings.
Gray was a 1st round pick of the Oakland Athletics in 2011. He was the 18th player taken overall.
Gray has pitched for Oakland, the Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, and the Twins.
Miles Mikolas-6-4, 230 pounds:
Mikolas threw 201.1 innings in 35 starts for the Cardinals last year. It was the most starts of his career. He finished with a record of 9-13, a 4.78 ERA, and a 1.31 WHIP. He was an All Star in 2018, and 2022.
Mikolas was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 7th round of the 2009 draft. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013, and then by the Pirates to the Texas Rangers in 2013.
Mikolas was released by the Rangers in 2014, and signed by the Cardinals as a free-agent in 2017.
Kyle Gibson-6-6, 200 pounds:
Gibson has completed parts of 11 years in Major League Baseball. He pitched for Baltimore last year, finishing with a 15-9 record. He threw 192 innings, and had a 4.73 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. He was an All Star in 2021.
The Minnesota Twins drafted Gibson in the 1st round of the 2009 draft. He was chosen at No. 29 overall.
Gibson has pitched for the Twins, the Texas Rangers, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Baltimore Orioles.
Lance Lynn-6-5, 270 pounds:
Lynn has pitched in parts of 12 MLB seasons. Last year, he pitched for the Chicago White Sox, before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished with a record of 13-11, throwing 183.2 innings in 32 starts.
Lynn was an All Star in 2012, and again in 2021.
Lynn was drafted by the Cardinals in the 1st round of the 2008 draft. He was the No. 39 player taken overall.
Lynn has pitched for the Cardinals, the Chicago White Sox, the Rangers, the Twins, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the New York Yankees.
Lynn returns now to St. Louis, where his big league career began in 2011.
ST LOUIS, MO – MAY 02: Steven Matz #32 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers against the Los Angeles … [+]
GETTY IMAGES
Steven Matz-6-2, 201 pounds:
The lone lefty in the new rotation, Matz made only 17 starts for the Cardinals in 2023. He threw 105 innings, and finished with a 4-7 record. Matz had a 3.86 ERA, and 1.33 WHIP.
Matz was a second round 2009 draft pick of the New York Mets. He will begin his 10th big league season.
Matz has pitched for the Mets, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Cardinals.
Summary:
After losing several starting pitchers from last year’s rotation, the St. Louis Cardinals have replenished their starting staff with the addition of several seasoned veterans.
Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn, all with solid careers in the rear view mirror, are being counted upon to help bring the Cardinals back to contention in the National League Central.
To this old scout, there is some risk involved in the heavily taxed arms of both Gibson and Lynn, but the rewards could be well worth the risks taken by the Cardinals front office.
The team deserves credit for moving quickly to revamp a depleted starting rotation.
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