Why we shouldn't expect the Cardinals to add another starting pitcher

I hate to be a pessimist here but I have to be honest. I don't expect the Cardinals to get another starting pitcher.

Last week, I wrote a piece detailing the reasons why the Cardinals could still add a starter and why they ultimately may not. If you read that piece, you'll see that I am very much in favor of the Cardinals adding a frontline guy such as Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber, or Logan Gilbert. That hasn't changed.

But I also wasn't terribly optimistic that the Cardinals would actually do that. Once again, I'm not super optimistic about that.

Don't get me wrong. I think the Cardinals must get another top-level guy in order to be true World Series contenders for the first time in a decade. But per usual, the front office doesn't seem to have its sights set on the Fall Classic.

While Sonny Gray was a good addition, the first two moves John Mozeliak made were underwhelming at best. Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson don't move the needle enough.

While they are serviceable starters who will give you innings, they aren't what the Cardinals truly needed.

Are the Cardinals done adding to the rotation?

Various reporters who cover the Cardinals that have stated the team is still monitoring the trade market and could still potentially add one more guy. But we haven't seen that just yet.

To be fair, the Winter Meetings have been very quiet this year, so nobody is really setting the world on fire. But Mozeliak has also come out and said that starting pitching is not an urgent need.

After essentially jumping the market, they don't seem terribly motivated to add that extra ace that will put them back in World Series contention.

We're already hearing about how they don't want to trade Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan. Those are the types of guys it's going to take in order to land somebody like Dylan Cease from the White Sox. And if the Cardinals aren't willing to part with them, that is going to be a problem.

"Obviously we felt like we addressed a lot of our starting pitching needs prior to getting down to Nashville," said Mozeliak. "But we're still looking at ways we can possibly improve the club. It's no secret we want to try to move one of our outfielders to try to address some of that, and if we're not able to do that, then we probably will explore more of the free-agent market."

This can mean a number of things. But to me, it doesn't sound too much like they are especially motivated to add more starting pitchers. It sounds more like they want to address the bullpen, which is an urgent need. They already added three starters in free agency too.

One thing I mentioned in my story last week was that the bullpen is now the most glaring need. That is obviously one reason I think the Cardinals won't add another starter. As I said, the Cardinals can make up for it by adding two very good relievers.

As for starting pitching, it seems to me like the Cardinals are done on that front, which is quite disappointing. We've seen the Cardinals be linked to big names in the past, but do nothing to try and bring them in. That is why we shouldn't be holding our breaths waiting for another move to be made.

Based on what Mo is saying, it seems like they have other priorities. I think it's a mistake to be done adding to the rotation personally, and I hope my prediction of not adding another starter is wrong.

But like I said, I'm afraid the rotation is set.