Cardinals: 3 insider insights as St. Louis approach the Winter Meetings

Cardinals pitching staff remains fluid as other needs take priority

When asked by Ken Rosenthal about adding a starting pitcher, John Mozeliak responded simply, “We have six starters”. But as has been noted in the last few weeks, four of the five projected starters for St. Louis are set to be free agents after the 2023 season, leading to speculation that they will add another long-term option this season.

Rosenthal mentioned St. Louis as a dark horse team for the likes of Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander, and Carlos Rodon, but it remains highly unlikely that the Cardinals dip their toe in those waters. Rosenthal also said that a source close to the team indicated that St. Louis would love to bring back Jose Quintana. Our own Jared Wolfe broke down what his market is looking like.

The main thing to note here is that their starting pitching appears to be something they are content rolling into 2023 with, but they are open to options as the weeks go on. This rotation may be one of the most volatile in all of baseball, with the potential to play way above their current projections, or be riddled with struggles and injuries. The Cardinals have found a lot of success finding starters at the deadline for stretch runs, so Mozeliak may decide to go that route if no clear options emerge this off-season.

The hot stove is heating up, so stay tuned here at Redbird Rants as we cover everything from the Winter Meetings. Check out our off-season tracker throughout the winter to keep track of everything St. Louis has been up to.