5 players the Cardinals will wish they had acquired this offseason

The St. Louis Cardinals have been linked to several pitchers this offseason as they looked to bolster their rotation and bullpen. However, they're obviously not able to land every name they were linked to. So far, they've signed Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, and Sonny Gray for the rotation and traded for Andrew Kittredge in the bullpen. While probably sufficient, the rotation still could use some improvements, and another bullpen arm is necessary. So, which of the players that they failed to land this offseason will they regret most?

Tyler Glasnow

After landing Gibson, Lynn, and Gray, it looked like the Cardinals might've been content with the 2024 rotation. However, Tyler Glasnow himself confirmed St. Louis was one of the teams interested in trading for him before he was traded to the Dodgers and signed an extension. The Dodgers traded Ryan Pepiot and Jonny Deluca for Tyler Glasnow, Manuel Margot, and $4 million in cash considerations.

An equivalent for this deal probably would've been Tink Hence and a mid-tier Cardinals prospect. Of course, this would not have been an appropriate trade package without a guaranteed extension, but the $136.5 million deal for 5 years could be a bargain if he stays healthy. Glasnow is one of the most talented pitchers in the entire league and could provide the Cardinals with a frontline ace for many years to come.

Of course, the main concern with Tyler Glasnow is his extensive injury history. Glasnow's 120 innings in 2023 is a career-high and only the second time he's ever eclipsed 100 innings in his 8-year MLB career. However, the Dodgers are clearly comfortable giving him a large contract, and Glasnow has expressed his confidence that he can stay on the field in the future. If this is the case, the Cardinals may find themselves looking back at a missed opportunity to acquire one of the best pitchers in baseball below market value.