2 potential X factors for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024

The Cardinals have been busy this offseason and there's reason to believe they may not be done quite yet. They've already added Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, Andrew Kittredge, and a few depth pieces.

Personally, I feel a lot better entering the 2024 season than I did entering the 2023 season. The Cardinals at the very least have filled some holes.

But they are from a World Series contender, despite what John Mozeliak may tell himself. Having an ace to lead the rotation is nice and it makes the Cardinals a heck of a lot better, but they shouldn't be done just yet.

However, there are a few players on this year's roster that I feel could really define the season for the Cardinals and whether or not they return to contention after last year's disastrous 71-91 finish.

We often refer to such important players as X factors, depending on what they could bring to the table. They could either perform like they normally do or take a step or two back. Regardless, there are several players that could play a huge role in determining what will happen in 2024 for the Cardinals.

In this piece, we will take a look at two of them. One will be from an offensive standpoint, while the other will be from a pitching standpoint. These players are going to have to click for the Cardinals to succeed.

Here are two pieces on the Cardinals current roster who could be X factors in 2024.

2. Lance Lynn

Like many, I was quite puzzled by the Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson signings. At this point, it's probably too late to question these moves, as they were made before Thanksgiving.

However, Lynn is somebody I feel could play a pivotal role for the Cardinals this coming season for a number of reasons.

Firstly, I believe he is somebody that the young players can lean on for guidance. He is also somebody who you know is going to hold everybody accountable, so he'll be a good clubhouse presence for a team that sorely needed veteran leadership after the losses of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, and now Adam Wainwright.

Lynn was teammates with all three and learned from them.

I think Lynn will play a pivotal role in terms of performance as well. He did not have a good 2023 season. Though he logged 183.2 innings and recorded 191 strikeouts, he posted a 5.73 ERA and gave up the most home runs of any pitcher in baseball.

Returning to St. Louis should help him give up less home runs, at least at home.

At the very least, Lynn is somebody who takes the ball and gives you innings, and not too long ago, he was a solid number two starter for the White Sox. In 2022, he posted a 3.99 ERA.

If he can stay healthy and return to that form, then the Cardinals will have two veteran guys in the same rotation that you can trust in playoff games. Lynn is far from an ace but could project as a number two or number three if he returns to form. He also has great experience pitching in the postseason.