The Cardinals have finished last in the race for free agents

The St. Louis Cardinals entered the 2024 season determined to avoid the pitfalls that doomed them in 2023. Their top priority was beefing up a starting rotation that had the fifth-worst ERA in the major leagues, and the front office went to work, acquiring veteran free agents Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn to bolster the pitching staff. Regardless of whether fans agreed with the Cardinals' choice to go for starters who could eat innings while the rest of the league chose five-and-dive pitchers, one could appreciate that the Cardinals were attempting to improve the team. That's no longer the case.

In the 2024-2025 offseason, the Cardinals are the only team that has not signed a free agent to a major league contract.

The Cardinals had signed four free agents to major league contracts by Feb. 3, 2024, as they also inked a deal with relief pitcher Keynan Middleton and reunited with franchise icon Matt Carpenter. But this offseason, the Cardinals have been a blip on the radar, as their only moves have been waiver claims of pitchers Roddery Munoz and Bailey Horn and a minor league signing of outfielder Ryan Vilade.

President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak said at the Winter Warm-Ups that the Cardinals were interested in acquiring a veteran relief pitcher and a right-handed bat to round out the major league roster. Obviously, this has not come to fruition, as the Cardinals have spent the entire offseason attempting to unload Nolan Arenado and the majority of his contract.

The number of free agents available is quickly waning, as only six free agents remain on The Athletic's "Big Board" of the top 40 free agents in 2024-2025. The Cardinals, though, are looking to remain in the shallow end and avoid the more high-priced free agents.

According to Spotrac, 121 players remain free agents as of Feb. 4, so the Cardinals still have time to pounce on some lower-end talent. The only question is whether players are interested in signing. The Cardinals have made no secret of the "youth movement" that they are attempting to embrace in 2025, which may lead to a backslide in wins. Most free agents, the majority of whom are at least 30 years old, would like to play for a contender before their career comes to a close.

If the Cardinals are the only team that comes calling for a particular player, he'll likely sign with the club, but with the team no longer a destination of choice for most free agents, it doesn't appear that anything will come easy for the Cardinals. It remains likely that the Cardinals will sign a free agent or two before the offseason wraps up, but their sedentary status is raising eyebrows around the league.