Even while in need of starting pitching, Cardinals allow 2 arms to test free agency

The St. Louis Cardinals are expected to see some turnover in their already below-average starting rotation once the MLB offseason moves really get moving. As of this writing, the only sure things in the Cardinals' rotation are Matthew Liberatore and Michael McGreevy as Sonny Gray is expected to welcome a trade, Andre Pallante was winless for the second half of the season, and Miles Mikolas is waiting for another team to call.

Internally, the Cardinals are set on giving Kyle Leahy the opportunity to snag one of the openings during Spring Training, while potentially giving some of their other Triple-A arms an extended look. Somehow, none of the St. Louis starters ended up on the injured list all season in 2025, which actually became a detriment for the team. McGreevy was stuck in Memphis for 15 starts before the team finally pulled the plug on Fedde, while former top pitching prospect Quinn Mathews struggled with command and health so he was never really an option to fill innings if an injury were to pop up. Unfortunately, for another two experienced Memphis arms, the lack of an MLB opportunity last year made them expendable for the Cardinals as they hope to find a shot to contribute elsewhere.

Curtis Taylor and Aaron Wilkerson are minor league free agents after solid seasons with Triple-A Memphis

Memphis was unable to make the Triple-A playoffs last season as much of the Cardinals' future talent was either already in St. Louis or helping Double-A Springfield to their impressive championship season. Even with the down season in AAA, both Curtis Taylor and Aaron Wilkerson likely stuck with the Cardinals hoping for a chance to revive their careers as they saw potential openings on the MLB pitching staff. The calls to the bigs never came for either pitcher, though, and now they each became minor league free agents as they look to find their next opportunity for a big league deal.

Taylor returned stateside after he fell out of favor as a former fourth-round pick who could not put it all together through seven minor league seasons. He spent the 2024 season pitching in Mexico before signing a minor league deal with the Cardinals in February. The 30-year-old out of British Columbia made an immediate impact in Memphis as one of the team's top starters all season, finishing the year with a 10-4 record and a 3.21 ERA in 31 starts. Before this season, Taylor's career-high in innings pitched was 78, and he zoomed past that while maintaining his effectiveness over 137.1 frames this season. He did not overpower hitters and was not spectacular with his command, but he was able to limit the damage against him thanks to a .223 opponent batting average.

Despite the success, Taylor never got the call to St. Louis due to a lack of open spots and recently became a minor league free agent as the Cardinals did not offer him a new deal for 2025. As the organization undergoes changes, Taylor will likely be signing with his eighth team this winter as he looks to cash in on his best professional season. Joining Taylor on the open market is grizzled veteran Aaron Wilkerson, who also put together a solid year after spending two seasons in Korea.

Unlike Taylor, Wilkerson has made his major-league debut and will look to sign a deal for his 13th season of professional baseball. After pitching a total of 37.1 big league innings with Milwaukee over three seasons, Wilkerson had to settle for various winter leagues, as well as minor league and international deals with the hopes of receiving a second chance at the majors. The Reds liked what they saw from Wilkerson after going 19-10 in two seasons with the KBO and Cincinnati brought him back to the states for the 2025 season on a minor league contract. After a solid 95 innings in Louisville, the Reds cut him loose and the Cardinals swiped him up a day later.

With the Redbirds, he went 3-1 with a 3.43 ERA in 11 starts, forming a pitch-to-contact duo with Taylor as they both waited for the call that never came. In May, Wilkerson will be 37 years old with plenty of miles on his right arm, but he likely pitched his way into at least some consideration from rival teams. Unfortunately for him, that call will probably not come from Chaim Bloom and if he wishes to continue his career, he will have to find a different suitor.

With plenty of questions surrounding the Cardinals' rotation, there has yet to be any answer with how they plan to fill their open spots. Counting on the staff to repeat their health from last season is a fool's belief, especially as Memphis was hit hard with major injuries to their top prospects. No matter the direction they go, St. Louis will have to be active on the free agent or trade markets to fill their 2025 starting rotation.