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Will the St. Louis Cardinals trade for another starting pitcher?
The Cardinals have added three starters to their rotation. However, rumors indicate that they may be looking to add one more.
After adding Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson to their starting rotation, the Cardinals figure to be done adding starters. Now, it seems likely that the next move they make will be geared toward strengthening their bullpen, which was as much of a problem as the rotation was in 2023.
Ken Rosenthal had reported (subscription required) that the Cardinals remained interested in Dylan Cease, even after adding three starters. My hope is that this report is true and the Cardinals do make an attempt to add one more frontline starter.
But will it actually get done, or are the Cardinals done adding starting pitching?
In order to be a true World Series contender like they once were, the Cardinals will need to add another frontline guy to bolster their rotation. They would essentially be following the blueprint of the Rangers from last offseason.
That's what needs to happen. As of right now, the Cardinals are not a World Series contender, and I would say that since the bullpen hasn't been addressed yet, they project as an 80-win team.
I hate to be negative, but the Cardinals just aren't quite there yet.
But what would get them there as another addition to the rotation such as Cease, Shane Bieber, or Logan Gilbert? Rosenthal is obviously a reliable source, so it's very likely that the Cardinals are at least monitoring the trade market for starters.
In this piece, we will discuss whether or not the Cardinals will ultimately add one more starting pitcher.
Why the Cardinals will add another starter
It's obvious what the Cardinals need to do. One more starting pitcher who fits as a No. 1 or No. 2 would make this team a championship contender for the first time in years.
I think it's also obvious that John Mozeliak understands how and why things went wrong in 2023. The Cardinals just didn't have enough pitching to contend. And they still don't have enough to compete with the powerhouses in the National League such as the Braves, Phillies, Diamondbacks, and Dodgers.
Some big bullpen additions will help, but as we all know by now, the teams that go deep into October typically have at least two front-end arms in their rotation. Such was the case with the Diamondbacks and Rangers, who met in the World Series.
The Phillies and Astros, who met in last year's World Series but fell short in their LCS matchups this year each have two frontline guys as well. Even the Twins had Sonny Gray and Pablo Lopez.
It makes perfect sense for the Cardinals to do this. The standards had dropped in recent years, and it's time for them to raise the bar once again and build a championship contender.
Somebody like Cease would be perfect for them. They have the offensive depth to trade for a frontline starter. It would take a massive haul, but the Cardinals are going to have to reach their "puke point" in order to truly transform this team from cellar dwellers to title contenders.
Why the Cardinals won't add another starter
Sadly, I'm afraid this is the more likely scenario. The reason is that the Cardinals did what they set out to do.
I don't agree with every move that was made, but they did at least make sure to get their innings covered. Don't get me wrong, I think the Cardinals must add another top-level starter. But I'm not holding my breath waiting for it to happen.
Plus, we've seen this movie before. Last year, Jim Bowden reported that the Cardinals were trying to make a trade amid rumors that they were interested in Pablo Lopez. Lopez went to the Twins.
In addition, Jon Heyman reported that the Cardinals were in on Carlos Rodon, but Mozeliak confirmed that the Cardinals never tried to add any pitching.
After the introductory press conference for Gray, Mozeliak stated that he didn't feel as if starting pitching was an urgent need any longer now that he had added three starters, and that bullpen additions were more likely.
As much as I hate to say it, I think Mozeliak is probably telling the truth. That's not to say Rosenthal's report is false, as Mozeliak also said that the Cardinals didn't want to close any doors. But I think we can consider starting pitching an item checked off of his to-do list as of now.
The Cardinals can make up for this, however, if they add two elite bullpen arms. They at least now have the innings from their starters to be able to bridge the gap.
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