St. Louis Cardinals: Waiver wire for starting pitching

The St. Louis Cardinals are at a crossroad with what to do with their starting rotation.

What was once a strength for the St. Louis Cardinals has now deteriorated in a matter of a few starts. With the injury to Adam Wainwright and inconsistent pitching from Mike Leake, the Cardinals have two options to consider in strengthening the rotation. While the addition of Luke Weaver to the rotation is needed, a look at the waiver wire wouldn’t hurt either.

Before I go any further, I will say the St. Louis Cardinals certainly have the opportunity to bring up one of their young guns in triple-A. I think some of Cardinal Nation were expecting to see either Jack Flaherty or Dakota Hudson in a Redbird uniform this weekend. My co-editor, Dr. Miles, takes on the internal options for the Cardinals here.

With that being said, what happens if the Cardinals want to use the waiver deadline to add a starter?

Remember that a deal must be done by September 1st in order for a traded player to be eligible for the post-season. Another thing to remember is the asking price of other teams. Sometimes at the August waiver deadline, teams will lower their prices from what it was in July. Pitchers who you may not think are available actually might be.

Related Story: Wainwright's injury

Here is my shortlist the St. Louis Cardinals should consider to strengthen the rotation:

Justin Verlander

While this may be the most “out there” idea, it is still intriguing nonetheless. Verlander, who should have won the Cy Young award last year, is having a decent season. It’s difficult to really pitch well in Detroit, considering the team’s interest in rebuilding.

At 34-years-old, Verlander spots a 4.11 ERA through twenty-five starts this season. He also boasts a FIP of 4.18, which would be average according to Fangraphs.

A possible move to pitcher-friendly Busch Stadium could do him some wonders. You would also like to think the Cardinal’s offense would win him some games as well. There are just a couple of issues I have with Verlander though.

His inconsistencies over the last couple of years have really been eye-opening. At times he flashes his brilliance on the mound. Then other times it’s just not there anymore. Unfortunately, it reminds me of Adam Wainwright somewhat. The other issue is the massive contract remaining. The only way the St. Louis Cardinals make this trade is if the Detroit Tigers take on some of the money still owed to Verlander.

His asking price wont be cheap, but it is possible a change of scenery for Verlander could serve as a huge catalyst for the remainder of the season for him and the Cardinals.

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J.A. Happ

Assuming he has cleared waivers, Happ is also another arm the St. Louis Cardinals could consider to strengthen the rotation.

The Blue Jays were rumored to have shopped him around at the trade deadline, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him clear waivers and dealt in August.

Through eighteen starts, Happ has a 3.90 ERA and a FIP of 4.04, which would be in the above average tier for FIP. He is consistent veteran starter the Cardinals could rally around.

While he isn’t a number one, he certainly could fill in as a number two starter. The one plus about Happ is he is left-handed. Having a left-hander in the rotation would allow the Cardinals to make other teams switch up their lineups to create different match-ups.

Another plus is he is cheaper than Verlander and under contract through next season as well. Should the Cardinals fizzle out in 2018, Happ could be a center piece in trade to a contending team. The only problem is his age. Would teams bite? I guess I’m suggesting the Cardinals too, so why not.

While there are certainly more names that could be mentioned, one thing that is hindering a move through the waiver wire is the AL-Wild Card scenery. Currently, there are six teams within three games of the second wild card spot. As for the NL-Wild Card scenery, it certainly is not as crowded, but outside of the contenders, nothing really peaks my interest.

Next: Waiver wire bullpen arms

I do not expect the St. Louis Cardinals to add a starter through the waiver wire at this point in the season. They have internal options that I would rather see than Happ or Verlander. However, a move for either of those two arms isn’t unwelcome. It’s just not preferred