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Front-line pitching
The Cardinals have five competent starters already projected for their rotation in Miles Mikolas, Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty, Steven Matz, and Adam Wainwright, as well as swing-options like Dakota Hudson, Matthew Liberatore, and Jake Woodford. The team does not need more “good to average” starters, they need someone who can matchup with the best in the league.
Although there are names hitting free agency this offseason that could fit the bill like Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander, and Carlos Rodon, but investing $25+ million a year in a starting pitcher is risky business for a club that has a big budget, but cannot afford to just throw money around either. Luckily for St. Louis, they have the trade assets to go out and acquire a controllable ace for 2023.
The type of ace the Cardinals acquire matters a lot too. The Cardinals ranked near the bottom of the league in strikeouts from their rotation in 2022, and they will need more strikeout stuff to compete with the game’s best lineups. Full seasons from Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty should help with this, but the club still needs a sure thing at the top of their rotation.
Names like Shane Bieber, Tyler Glasnow, Pablo Lopez, Lucas Giolito, or other names could end up on the move this offseason, and the Cardinals need to be the team who goes out and acquires one of those names. A mix of one of their starting outfielders, young core, one of their current starters, and top prospects could entice any club looking to cash in on their ace. Only Steven Matz from their current rotation is under contract beyond 2023, so a deal for an ace is paramount not just for this coming season but for the future of the club.