St. Louis Cardinals: Four Possible Free Agent Replacements for Alex Reyes

No. 4 – Carlos Villanueva

Former Cardinal pitcher Carlos Villanueva could return to his old job here back in St. Louis. Villanueva was used in 2015 as the Cardinals long reliever with the ability to be an emergency starter. He saw a lot of success, posting a career best 2.95 ERA in 35 games.

Villanueva found himself in San Diego with former Cardinal Jon Jay and the Padres for the 2016 season. He didn’t find the same success he had in St. Louis and saw his ERA climb to 5.96 while pitching in 51 games. Now, he remains a free agent looking for a similar opportunity to the one the Cardinals and Padres offered him.

Villanueva has always been a long relief option that could also start in emergency situations and that is exactly what the St. Louis Cardinals could use here. He won’t be a starter over guys like Michael Wacha or Luke Weaver but he would give the Cardinals an option if a handful of things go wrong.

He would also fill that role out of the bullpen that he is so familiar with. Villanueva would be able to eat innings if a starter struggles and also be an extra arm at Mike Matheny‘s disposal. The 33-year old reliever isn’t a set-up man or closer but for any innings before the 7th, he could be quite useful.

The St. Louis Cardinals and Carlos Villanueva had success back in 2015 and could find a reunion to be mutually beneficial. Villanueva would be a cheap, familiar option that wouldn’t compromise the roster or clubhouse. He also wouldn’t stand in the way of a young pitcher’s development or opportunity.

No. 3 – Colby Lewis

Colby Lewis is another strong option for teams in search of an experienced veteran that provides depth to a starting rotation. He’s coming off a strong year for the Texas Rangers making 19 starts and posting a 3.71 ERA. Lewis has also been relied upon by the Rangers in recent years as a multi-inning reliever in the postseason.

Lewis is an interesting candidate for the Cardinals because even though he is a free agent, he is likely to still end up with the Rangers. He pitched for the Rangers from 2002 to 2004 and then again from 2010 to 2016 and there are rumors of them remaining interested in him. However, he still remains a free agent as spring training goes into full swing.

Lewis is 37-years old and has pitched in the major leagues for 11 years. His age makes him a short-term contract candidate while his experience and abilities make him a gap filler on any team. It is unlikely he is a full-time starter wherever he ends up but he did not seem to have any issues pitching out of the bullpen while in Texas.

The St. Louis Cardinals want to return to the postseason and want to return to their successful ways. They’ve built their recent success on pitching, roster depth, and postseason play. Colby Lewis has postseason experience, would provide the rotation and the bullpen with some security, and is a relatively successful pitcher.

He may not be the best option on this list, but he’s a good one nonetheless. If Reyes’s injury causes the Cardinals to lack depth in their pitching staff, then why not fix that with the reliable Colby Lewis?

No. 2 – Jake Peavy

The 15-year veteran Jake Peavy is still in need of a new home and the St. Louis Cardinals could be a good fit. Peavy is at the end of his career looking to win while the Cardinals would benefit from his extensive experience and his leadership.

Peavy has played for the San Francisco Giants for the past three seasons but was also a part of the 2013 Boston Red Sox rotation that defeated the Cardinals in the World Series. Peavy has played in big moments, pitched for successful teams, and has won a Cy Young award. However, with his age rising and his velocity dipping, he has been put into a 5th starter/swing-man type of role.

In 2016, Peavy pitched in 31 games making 21 starts and had a 5.54 ERA. However, in 2015, he made 19 starts and pitched well enough to post a 3.58 ERA. He’s shown the ability to be more than serviceable as a starter and long reliever despite being 35-years old.

With Reyes out for the season the Cardinals could use another option for a 5th starter and long reliever type role. Reyes was likely to serve in that capacity for his rookie season and provided the rotation with some much needed security while also providing the bullpen with a weapon.

Peavy could fill that void while also providing a number of benefits that aren’t quantifiable on a stat sheet. His experience is rare in today’s game while his leadership is invaluable and the Cardinals would be lucky to have someone like Peavy in the clubhouse.

No. 1 – Doug Fister

Doug Fister is the most interesting candidate on this list. He clearly has the ability to be a full-time starter and has performed extremely well in recent years. However, he is still without a job and is coming off of his worst season in his career.

In 2016, Fister made 32 starts and pitched 180.1 innings but had a career high ERA at 4.64 for the Houston Astros. He also set career highs in runs allowed (98), home runs allowed (24), and walks allowed (62). While this all sounds like a pitcher the Cardinals should avoid, let us not forget that Fister is only 2 seasons removed from being a top-8 finalist for the National League Cy Young award when he was with the Washington Nationals.

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Fister throughout his career has been a 4th/5th starter that has also spent time in the bullpen. He’s a perfect candidate to fill the void left by Alex Reyes because he is exactly what they need. Fister is looking for a short-term contract so that he can rebuild his value and take advantage of free agency next season. He’s also looking to be a part of a playoff contender considering he’s waited this long to sign somewhere while teams like the Padres and Reds are making offers.

Fister would provide security for the starting rotation if an injury occurs or someone like Michael Wacha fails to perform. He would also add experience, including playoff experience, and veteran leadership to a young team. Fister has been pretty consistent throughout his career and has been a reliable innings eater at the bottom of the rotation. This type of pitcher is exactly what the Cardinals could use after losing Reyes and being forced to rely on Wacha.

The Cardinals should sign Doug Fister to a one-year deal before turning to a young minor league pitcher because he’s the best available option in free agency and because he fits what the team needs in a near-perfect way and won’t cost a premium piece. Fister should agree to the deal because he needs a bounce back chance and there aren’t many clubs that are better than the Cardinals at rebuilding a player’s value.

Next: The Cardinals Should be Better at Home in 2017

Alex Reyes’s injury left the St. Louis Cardinals with a bit of a gap in their pitching depth. Going out and signing a short-term filler would help mitigate any further risks as well as add quality depth to a team that seems to need it every year. Guys like Fister, Peavy, Lewis, and Villanueva have built their careers on opportunities like this and the Cardinals should take advantage of that.