A free-agent the St. Louis Cardinals need to consider re-signing

Kwang-hyun Kim is a free-agent pitcher the St. Louis Cardinals need to consider re-signing, either for the rotation or the bullpen.

Once MLB and the MLBPA reach an agreement on a CBA, free agency is going to be bonkers. Players will sign at a rapid pace and the St. Louis Cardinals are expected to be significant players in the pitching market.

While they have been connected to many outside names, including Joe Kelly, Ryan Tepera, Collin McHugh and many others, they should keep in touch with one of their internal free agents. Kwang Hyun Kim, a free agent who has pitched for the Cardinals for the last TK seasons, has garnered little buzz in free agency and could potentially be had for cheap.

There are a couple of things that make a deal unlikely, however. First, Kim is going to want to start, and the Cardinals have their Nos. 1-5 filled in their rotation. They continue to look for another starting pitcher, but will Kim want to be a No. 6 starter? Possibly not. Second, there appeared to be some hurt feelings with how Kim was used by the team throughout his tenure, and it’s possible that he’ll want a fresh start with another organization.

Greg Simons of RedbirdRants put together a case for why the Cardinals should re-sign Kim. But there are analysts who are very high on Kim, with Ben Clemens of FanGraphs believing that he should sign a two-year, $20 million contract in free agency. Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors was not far off that number either, referring to Kim as an “under-the-radar” option that should not have been left off their top-50 free agent list.

While Kim has never dominated headlines, or been the Cardinals’ best pitching option, he has been very solid. In 145.2 career innings, he’s posted a 2.97 ERA with a 48.1 groundball percentage, which obviously plays well behind an elite defensive infield in St. Louis.

If Kim’s market accelerates to the point where he’ll land a multi-year deal worth $10 million per season, the Cardinals will be out. But if his market continues to be quiet, it wouldn’t be the most surprising thing to see the team pursue him to fill out their rotation or be a prominent part of the bullpen.

Mike Shildt may have used him in a way that he didn’t like, but perhaps new manager Oli Marmol, who is going to use his players differently and more creatively, can please Kim – and finally use him in a way that will maximize the benefits for both team and player.