3 relievers the Cardinals can target after Sonny Gray signing

At long last, the Cardinals have added their ace, signing right-hander Sonny Gray to a three-year, $75 million contract. More than likely, the starting rotation is set for now.

But that doesn't mean the Cardinals are done. In fact, there are other holes that need to be addressed, particularly in the bullpen. That was another area where the Cardinals really struggled in 2023.

Injuries to pitchers like Ryan Helsley and Giovanny Gallegos certainly didn't help matters, but a few solid bullpen arms could offset some fans' disappointment over the fact that the Cardinals are likely done addressing the starting rotation.

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported in his weekly chat that the Cardinals are likely out on the remaining big-name free-agent starting pitchers such as Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He also noted that the bullpen is the area the Cardinals are going to focus on next.

With that said, here are three relievers the Cardinals could target to beef up their bullpen.

1. Phil Maton

Maton was one pitcher that was mentioned by Goold in his weekly chat. The veteran right-hander would certainly be a huge addition for the Cardinals. He's a high-leverage arm with postseason experience and he even has a World Series ring under his belt.

This year, he went 4-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 68 appearances. Maton could be used as a back-end reliever along with Helsley, Gallegos, and JoJo Romero. Goold says that fans should expect the Cardinals to at least have a conversation with him.