3 relievers the St. Louis Cardinals might pursue post-lockout

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 31: Pitching coach Mike Maddux #31 of the St. Louis Cardinals walks to the mound during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 31, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 31: Pitching coach Mike Maddux #31 of the St. Louis Cardinals walks to the mound during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 31, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CITY, MO – AUGUST 15: Ervin Santana #54 of the Kansas City Royals throws against the St. Louis Cardinals at Kauffman Stadium on August 15, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO – AUGUST 15: Ervin Santana #54 of the Kansas City Royals throws against the St. Louis Cardinals at Kauffman Stadium on August 15, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /

Ervin Santana

After 16 seasons in the majors, Ervin Santana has declined some but is still an asset to a young bullpen.

Santana sat out of the 2020 season but pitched in 38 games in 2021 going 2-2 in 65.2 innings. He struck out 52. Over his career, he pitched in 425 games going 151-129 in 2486.2. He has struck out 1,978 hitters over this time.

In 2021, Santana had three pitches he relied on during his 2021 season with Mike Matheny‘s Kansas City Royals including a four-seam fastball, slider, and change-up.

He mostly uses his slider which averages 84.4 mph with 36.5-inches of vertical drop and an active spin of 31%. This pitch had a 20% putaway rate for him in 2021. Santana’s four-seam fastball averages 93.4 mph with a 17.2-inch vertical drop and an active spin of 83%. Santana’s changeup averages 87.7 mph with a vertical drop of 23-inches and an active spin of 89%.

It will be really interesting to see where Santana lands post-lockout.  He will likely get a one-year incentive-laden contract.