Cardinals Rumors: Should St. Louis target Dallas Keuchel?

Should the St. Louis Cardinals target Dallas Keuchel, who was recently designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox?

On Saturday morning, the Chicago White Sox designated veteran left-handed starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel for assignment. And it’s possible that the St. Louis Cardinals take a look.

Keuchel, 34, has resembled little of the starting pitcher that made him an All-Star. Before being let go by the White Sox, he posted a 7.88 ERA. In 32 games last season, he didn’t fare much better – a 5.28 ERA in 32 starts – which is well below what the team thought it was getting when they signed him to a three-year, $55.5 million contract before the 2020 season.

A year earlier, he posted a 1.99 ERA, and finished fifth in the Cy Young voting. Any team that adds him has to be realistic in its expectations. He is not that same pitcher, but it’s possible that he can once again be an effective pitcher with a few tweaks. Some of the natural fits include the Cardinals and New York Mets, among others.

Despite his struggles, it was a surprise to see the White Sox part with Keuchel. But with his struggles, and the team having a plethora of starting options available once they’re all healthy (Lance Lynn is close to returning and Johnny Cueto has impressed), they felt comfortable parting with Keuchel and his remaining $14.5 million on his contract.

The White Sox now have 10 days to trade Keuchel unless he’s claimed on waivers. It’s hard to imagine any team having interest in Keuchel at that salary, so it’s very likely he clears waivers and is outright released in the coming days. And that’s when the Cardinals and other teams are likely to show interest, as they can sign him to a prorated share of the $700,000 veteran’s minimum, with the White Sox on the hook for the remainder of that contract.

With Steven Matz on the Injured List, Keuchel would give them another left-hander in the rotation, and a veteran that pitching coach Mike Maddux could work with. He was given a similar project last season with the additions of Jon Lester and J.A. Happ and it turned out to be successful. Who says he can’t do it again?