5 free agent targets to round out Cardinals roster after latest signing

The St. Louis Cardinals have been in headlines most of the offseason due to trade candidates on their roster, but that hasn't stopped Chaim Bloom from being opportunistic on the free agent market.

Their biggest acquisition through free agency thus far has been starting pitcher Dustin May, but Bloom brought in another veteran arm last night, this time in the form of reliever Ryne Stanek. While Stanek isn't a flashy move, he certainly has intriguing traits between his big fastball and slider that induces a ton of whiffs. Both of these arms could end up being trade bait for the Cardinals come July.

Before this signing, Bloom left the door open to other potential moves as well, including adding a right-handed bat to their mix, as well as another starting pitcher if it lines up with what they are looking for. The Cardinals don't have to make any more moves in free agency prior to spring training, but there are a number of players still available who could fit the bill for them.

Here are 5 free agent targets who could round out the Cardinals roster after the Ryne Stanek signing

OF Randall Grichuk

Let's start with an old friend! Randall Grichuk began his big league career with the Cardinals from 2014 to 2017 after being acquired in the David Freese trade with the Los Angeles Angels. Grichuk spent most of his big league career as an everyday corner outfielder, but has settled into a platoon role in recent years.

2025 was a tough year for Grichuk at the plate, as he slashed just .228/.273/.401 with nine home runs and 27 RBI in 293 plate appearances. Grichuk does the majority of his damage against left-handed pitching now, and in 2024, that helped him post an eye-popping 139 wRC+ and .528 slugging percentage.

I can't imagine Grichuk has a hot market right now, so he may be willing to take a platoon role as a right-handed bat for a rebuilding team like St. Louis.

RHP Walker Buehler

The Cardinals have eight or so options for their starting rotation currently between Matthew Liberatore, Dustin May, Michael McGreevy, Kyle Leahy, Richard Fitts, Hunter Dobbins, and Quinn Mathews, and with most of them being young arms with MLB experience, I can't imagine Bloom would want to block any of them. Even so, you can never have enough pitching, even on a rebuilding club.

If Bloom is going to acquire another starter, I would imagine it's going to be a player who they don't feel the need to guarantee a rotation spot to, and could possibly even pitch out of their bullpen. Walker Buehler feels like that kind of arm to me.

After being a surprise hero for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their 2024 World Series run, Buehler attempted to have a bounce-back regular season campaign with the Boston Red Sox, and he failed miserably. In 24 starts, Buehler posted a 4.93 ERA and 5.66 FIP, striking out just 16.3% of the batters he faced and finishing with -0.3 fWAR.

Like May, Buehler was seen as one of the most exciting young pitchers in the game with the Dodgers years ago, and Buehler actually put up some incredible years from 2018 to 2021, but injuries seem to have derailed him since then. If teams aren't offering Buehler rotation spots right now, he may be interested in trying to reestablish himself with St. Louis. If things don't go well and a young arm needs his spot, the Cardinals could cut bait rather easily. But there is upside with Buehler that the Cardinals could bet on.

OF Austin Slater

Austin Slater, like Grichuk, did not have a shiny 2025 season if you look at the back of his baseball card. In 160 plate appearances, Slater put up a .216/.270/.372 slash line with five home runs and 13 RBI, resulting in a really bad 78 wRC+.

While that was not good, Slater did post a .726 OPS and 100 wRC+ against southpaws, with his .435 SLG and .212 ISO carrying most of that value. For his career, Slater is a 119 wRC+ bat against southpaws, with a really nice .357 OBP and .430 SLG to add to the Cardinals' offense in those spots. The Cardinals lack production from the right side of the plate right now, and so adding Slater to the mix would give them a low-cost option who can start in the outfield on occasion.

LHP Jordan Montgomery

Another old friend, after peaking during the 2023 season with the St. Louis Cardinals and as a member of the World Series champion Texas Rangers, Jordan Montgomery has had a terrible few years.

In 2024, Montgomery posted a 6.23 ERA in 25 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he missed the entire 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery. Montgomery should be ready for spring training, if not the early parts of the 2026 season, but I'm not sure if he's going to be able to command much more than a minor league deal.

Even if Montgomery scores a Major League contract, he'll likely need to go to a team without many expectations if he wants freedom to find himself again on the mound, especially as a starter. Montgomery found a ton of success under pitching coach Dusty Blake in 2023, so perhaps a return to St. Louis would be best for his career.

OF Austin Hays

Last and certainly not least of the right-handed bats on this list, Austin Hays hit 15 bombs in 2025 in 416 plate appearances, and he would be the ideal fit for what the Cardinals are looking to add to their lineup right now. I just wonder if a contender will end up scooping him up.

Hays' 105 wRC+ in 2025 isn't anything special, but his production against left-handed pitching was, slashing .319/.400/.549, good for a .949 OPS and 155 wRC+. If Hays can't secure an everyday or platoon role with a contender before camp, the Cardinals could certainly use his bat in their mix.