St. Louis Cardinals: 3 free agents not worth getting into a bidding war over

The Cardinals should be prepared to open up the checkbooks this winter in order to prevent the ugly 2023 season from repeating itself.

It's no secret what the Cardinals need to do. It's time for ownership and the front office to spend big on top free-agent pitchers. Most, if not all of the top-level starters are pitchers that the Cardinals should absolutely pursue.

Contrary to popular belief, there may actually be a way for St. Louis to add all their starters via free agency. There will be some pitchers that could be had on shorter-term deals, provided that the Cardinals sign at least two frontline pitchers.

But there are a few options on the free agent market that the Cardinals may want to stay away from.

Here are three free-agent starters that the Cards should not get into bidding wars with other teams over.

1. Lance Lynn

Around the trade deadline, the Cardinals were showing some interest in a familiar face.

Lance Lynn was on the trading block while the White Sox were struggling. He ultimately wanted to go to a contending team, which the Cardinals were not this year. It was the Dodgers who acquired him from the South Siders.

While Lynn does have strikeout stuff and doesn't walk too many batters, he is far from the pitcher he was in 2021 when he was the ace of the White Sox. This year, he won 13 games but posted a 5.73 ERA in 32 starts.

He also will be turning 37 in May next year. He'll certainly garner some interest from teams, assuming the Dodgers decline his club option, but Lynn is not the one who is going to solve the Cardinals' pitching issues and isn't worth getting into a bidding war over.