5 starting pitching targets for St. Louis Cardinals after recent injuries

It was no secret that going into spring training that the St. Louis Cardinals were very thin in the starting rotation. Each of the projected starters (Wainwright, Flaherty, Matz, Hudson, and Mikolas) had question marks surrounding them, and the depth behind them was questionable at best. After only a few days of camp, both Alex Reyes and Jack Flaherty are having their shoulders examined, leaving the St. Louis club with even more red flags in their pitching staff.

Being in a division that is already down to a two horse race between St. Louis and Milwaukee, there is a strong argument that now more than ever, the Cardinals need to push their chips into the pot and go for it. Even with the addition of another Wild Card, banking on being “good enough” to make the playoffs is a tall task when teams like the Giants, Padres, Mets, Braves, and potential sleeper teams will also be in the mix.

Here are four candidates, both free agents and trade targets, the front office needs to strongly consider making a move for before the end of Spring Training to bolster the rotation.