4 starting pitchers the St. Louis Cardinals could buy low on to save their rotation

Tyler Glasnow

Maybe this is just me wanting to be proven right after getting ripped back in 2021 for suggesting the Cardinals trade Juan Yepez for Tyler Glasnow (which, I think most people would agree with me on now). But seriously, I continue to think that Glasnow is worth the risk for St. Louis.

Glasnow began 2023 back on the IL, which is a huge concern with him. But when he is on the field, he is elite. Check out his key stats from year to year since 2019.

2019: 6-1, 1.78 ERA, 60.2 IP, 0.89 WHIP, 2.26 FIP, 11.3 K/9
2020: 5-1, 4.08 ERA, 57.1 IP, 1.134 WHIP, 3.66 FIP, 14.3 K/9
2021: 5-2, 2.66 ERA, 88 IP, 0.93 WHIP, 2.77 FIP, 12.6 K/9
2022: 0-0, 1.35 ERA, 6.2 IP, 0.90 WHIP, 2.96 FIP, 13.5 K/9 (returned from injury in September)

The outlier season is the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, which is kind of a weird season to take any findings from for any player. Otherwise, the highest ERA Glasnow has had is 2.66, and he's maintained elite WHIP, FIP, and K/9 numbers. Again, this is a buy-low. If Glasnow had stayed on the field the last few years, he'd require an elite package of prospects to acquire.

Glasnow signed an extension with the Rays this past offseason that has him under contract through 2024, so the Cardinals would get their hands on a starter who will be doing everything in his power to stay on the field to cash in for a huge deal next offseason. Considering it shouldn't take anyone like Maysn Winn, Tink Hence, or guys like that to acquire, I'd be all over this deal. The Cardinals cannot be afraid to make big swings to improve this club, and I'd much rather have Glasnow on my team and see if he is healthy than bargain shop for pitch to contact veterans.