6 options the Cardinals could consider if they expand to a six-man rotation

As Cardinals' Spring Training begins, it looks like most of the position battles are already won. We know who the five starting pitchers will be, the lineup is mostly set aside from Masyn Winn at shortstop who needs to prove that he can hit at the Major League level, and the bullpen which has a few spots up in the air. However, as reported by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the Cardinals might be considering a six-man rotation to open the 2024 season.

In the first 21 days of the season, the Cardinals will play 19 games with only 2 off days and will face some tough competition in the Dodgers, Padres, Marlins, Phillies, and Diamondbacks. Since the lack of innings was such an issue for the 2023 Cardinals, it makes sense to ease the new starting rotation into the season to avoid the risk of burnout or injury amongst the staff. Moreover, there are plenty of internal options that the Cardinals could use as the sixth man.

It's a risky play for a team that failed to pair another frontline starter with Sonny Gray this offseason, but a six-man rotation may be a wise decision for the long-term health of an aging group. I'm still hoping for St. Louis to add another of the available starters that still somehow haven't signed, but the hope of that dwindles by the day. A six-man rotation would've made more sense if the Cardinals had landed one of the Japanese starting pitchers as six-man rotations are commonplace in NPB, but that ship has sailed.

Here are six options the Cardinals should consider for their final rotation spot.

Option 3 - Drew Rom

Drew Rom's first dance as a Major League starter was not pretty. Through 8 starts, he recorded an 8.02 ERA as he greatly struggled with his command. While his 5.75 FIP indicates bad luck in a small sample size, he's still far from playable for a contending team without significant improvements. Personally, I hope Rom doesn't see much more starting action at the Major League level, but he's certainly in consideration for the final rotation spot this Spring. It'll be an interesting battle for the sixth rotation spot and perhaps a revamped Drew Rom could win the spot.

Option 4 - Gordon Graceffo

Once a top 100 prospect, Gordon Graceffo could win the final rotation spot in Spring Training. However, due to injuries and his struggles at Triple-A Memphis, Graceffo fell off the rankings and seemingly off the Cardinals' radar as a potential rotation candidate this offseason. His upside is much higher than many of the other pitching prospects in the Cardinals' system, as he boasts an upper 90's fastball and a wipeout slider. At 23 years old, it's getting a bit late for Graceffo to live up to his full potential, but he could win that final spot by shoving this Spring.

Option 5 - Michael McGreevy

While most Cardinals fans probably don't want to hear about Dakota Hudson ever again, his ability to coax ground balls to get himself out of tough situations was always an asset to the Cardinals. However, Michael McGreevy does one thing Hudson did not: limiting walks. He's not the flashiest name, but he put up solid numbers at Double-A and Triple-A last season and fits the Cardinals' old mold of pitching to weak contact instead of striking batters out. There are plenty of pitchers McGreevy has to leap over, but he could fill innings as the sixth man in the rotation with a good Spring performance.

Option 6 - An external option

The six-man rotation does keep the door open for another starting pitching acquisition from outside the organization. It's no secret that the Cardinals and Rays were in talks for Tyler Glasnow before he was shipped to Los Angeles, and the Cardinals have also been linked to White Sox ace Dylan Cease. Moreover, if free-agent options such as Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell have gotten more affordable, it's possible though unlikely that the Cardinals could swoop in on a shorter-term contract for either of the two frontline pitchers.

With starting pitchers as routine-based as they are, it's very possible that Montgomery and Snell will be forced to sign sooner than Boras might want to force the market. Suitors are also growing impatient and many such as the Rangers appear to be tapping out. Since the Cardinals filled their needs as early as they did, they can hold more leverage in such negotiations especially since an extra starter is more of a want than a need.

I believe the Cardinals are still one more top-end starter shy of contending for a World Series championship in 2024. While it looks like they'll roll into the 2024 season without that final piece, it would be wise to get it early and play like a World Series contender for the entire season instead of just the second half. It seems like that was the plan in 2023, but the Cardinals fell apart before they were able to get to the Trade Deadline as contenders.

Jumping on the market early may also help the team avoid paying a hefty price with many other teams looking to add starters at the deadline. After all, Montgomery and Snell can be had for only money right now, and the Cardinals have the rare opportunity to strike so late in the offseason.