6 free agent relievers for the Cardinals to replace Andrew Kittredge

RHP Kyle Finnegan

Kyle Finnegan received his first All-Star nod last year with the Washington Nationals, and it was well deserved. Finnegan, 33, finished the year with a 3.68 ERA, a 4.25 FIP, and 38 saves in 63.2 innings. He hasn't thrown fewer than 63.2 innings in his career, 2020 excluded.

Finnegan was considered to be a pitcher who could be moved at the trade deadline, but the Washington Nationals opted to keep him on their staff

Finnegan's peripherals aren't overly inspiring -- he was in the 43rd percentile in strikeout rate and 35th percentile in walk rate, and his 4.34 expected ERA should give clubs pause when seeking to sign him. However, Finnegan has ample experience pitching late in games. Batters finished 2024 with a .241/.344/.384 slash line in high-leverage situations against him.

Finnegan is probably in the market for a one-year deal next year. On the surface, he looks like a pretty reliable reliever with an ability to pitch late in games. If he can level out his walks while maintaining a decent strikeout rate, the Cardinals could find themselves snagging a reliable set-up man next year in the "budget" department. If he pitches well and the Cardinals are out of contention by July next year, Finnegan could be an interesting mid-season trade candidate.

RHP Paul Sewald

As recently as 2023, Paul Sewald was mentioned as one of the best closers in baseball. The former Mariner and Diamondback has 81 saves in the last four seasons to his name, and he had a sub-3.00 ERA in 2022. Things have been slightly different for Sewald since departing Seattle for Arizona, but he's still a quality veteran reliever.

Last year, Sewald threw 39.2 innings with a 4.31 ERA and 16 saves. He started out as the D-Backs' resident closer, but as the season went on, he found himself pitching more and more in the 7th and 8th innings. Batters have slashed .206/.289/.409 against him in high-leverage situations in his career, so he's no slouch late in games.

Sewald turns 35 in May, and he's seen his stats and stuff decline in the last year and a half. Perhaps being in pitcher-friendly Busch Stadium III, a location that is more similar to Seattle for pitchers than Chase Field is, would behoove Sewald late in his career. He wouldn't have the pressure of being the club's closer either.

When looking at Paul Sewald as a set-up man for the Cardinals, there's a pretty decent fit. He wouldn't be costly, he could be had on a one-year deal, and pitching in a more pitcher-friendly park would benefit him tremendously.

Both Sewald and Finnegan present more risky investments than other players on this list, but they have track records for pitching late in games, and both righties have found success in said situations.