4 Cardinals players who lost their roster spot this offseason

With offseason acquisitions and signings, several players who were on the St. Louis Cardinals' 2023 roster may have lost their spots this year.
St. Louis Cardinals v San Diego Padres
St. Louis Cardinals v San Diego Padres / Sean M. Haffey/GettyImages
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James Naile

James Naile pitched only 15.1 innings last year. In that time, he struck out seven batters and gave up fifteen earned runs. He had a ridiculously high WHIP (2.348), and he walked more batters than he struck out. Naile was never a well-known pitcher, and the main reason he saw innings in the majors was due to injuries, mostly to Jake Woodford.

The Cape Girardeau native was called up one last time in June to fill in for Jake Woodford after his shoulder injury. Across eight seasons in the minors, Naile pitched to a 4.01 ERA, 1.344 WHIP, and struck out 6.8 batters per nine innings.

It is highly unlikely Naile is on the major league roster to start 2024, especially with the additions of Ryan Fernandez and Nick Robertson. Should St. Louis add another reliever through free agency or trade, Naile's chances of starting the season in St. Louis diminish even more.

The Cardinals need high-leverage, talented pitchers out of the bullpen for 2024. Naile doesn't fit either of those descriptions, so his spot on the roster next season is in jeopardy. He has just one option left, so he will more than likely start the season in AAA. He even runs the risk of being designated for assignment or being outright released from the team to clear a 40-man roster spot.