3 reasons the Cardinals should avoid Tyler Glasnow at all costs

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Tyler Glasnow is a name that has been floated around this offseason and is somebody who might be a fit for the Cardinals. He made a career-high 21 starts and posted an ERA of 3.53 in 120 innings of work.

Those are some good numbers, and on the surface, he looks the perfect guy for the Cardinals rotation in some respects. But you have to look closer.

We've talked a lot about Glasnow on the site and what a trade for him might look like. It's no secret that the Cardinals would have to give up a lot for him.

However, in my opinion, the Cardinals shouldn't even bother with Glasnow, as I believe it would be too much of a risk, for a number of reasons.

In this piece, we will discuss three reasons why the Cardinals should stay away from Glasnow.

1. Injury history

Let me start by saying that in no way do I think Glasnow is a bad pitcher. He's quite good. But he can never seem to stay healthy. The fact that 21 starts and 120 innings is a career-high is something that should concern fans a great deal.

He's not somebody that you can necessarily mark as an ace, and he's already 30 years old. He's not getting any younger.

The Cardinals need certainty in their rotation when it comes to health, and Glasnow just can't provide that at this time, so it would be wise for the Cardinals to stay away from a guy with his injury history.

2. The risk of trading with the Rays

Another thing to think about is the risk of trading with the Rays. Is it a coincidence that almost every team that trades with them gets fleeced? I think not.

The Rays have a strategy of trading away guys once they reach stardom and grabbing more up-and-coming young players, who ultimately blossom into stars themselves.

It's very likely that a move for Glasnow would have to be made at the cost of somebody like Tommy Edman, Nolan Gorman, Brendan Donovan, or even Jordan Walker or Masyn Winn. It wouldn't be worth it to run that risk, especially with a guy with Glasnow's injury history.

Cardinals fans are tired of hearing it, but we must revisit the Randy Arozarena trade. That was the last time the Cardinals made a deal with the Rays, and look how it turned out. Matthew Liberatore has yet to blossom into a star, and Arozarena is a perennial MVP candidate in the American League.

So far, the Cardinals have gotten the short end of the stick on this deal. Perhaps it could have gone differently had somebody like Tyler O'Neill, Harrison Bader, or Dylan Carlson been included in this deal instead of Arozarena. But you can't deny the truth.

The Cardinals whiffed on that trade, and it isn't worth it to take that risk again, this time with Glasnow.

If the Cardinals want to make a trade, they'd be better served calling the White Sox about Dylan Cease.

3. Only one year of control

Another thing to keep in mind is that Glasnow is a free agent at the end of the 2024 season. Perhaps if he stays healthy the whole season, the Cardinals could entertain the possibility of signing him next offseason.

But given that there's no guarantee they'd be able to keep him after just one season, giving up a massive haul is a serious gamble. As I mentioned, it would make more sense for the Cardinals to target Cease, who still has two years of club control if they're going to trade a key position player.

Keep in mind that the Cardinals need three starters this offseason. While Glasnow may help, the Cardinals would still have a spot to fill in the rotation after next season. That's not as bad as having to fill three, but it's still something that they might want to keep in mind.

Ultimately, Glasnow could help the Cardinals, but the injury history, the haul, the risk of dealing with the Rays, and his lack of club control make trading for him not worth the risk.

Fortunately, there are other options the Cards can look for.

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