St Louis Cardinals - Inside The Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals recently had a major scare.

St. Louis seemingly is in a better spot right now than it was at the end of the 2023 season and one of the biggest reasons why is because the club was able to sign three-time All-Star Sonny Gray to help fix the rotation.

The Cardinals have high expectations this season and have been predicted by many to finish atop the National League Central standings. If the Cardinals can get back on track, Gray's performance will be a major reason why.

Gray recently suffered a hamstring injury that scared fans but he was able to have his first throwing session off of a mound Monday since the injury and "showed no signs" of limitations, according to MLB.com's John Denton.

"Ever meticulous and detailed about his workouts, Cardinals (right-handed pitcher) Sonny Gray finishes his first throwing session off a mound in a week and heads straight for the iPad to review his mechanics," Denton said. "He showed no signs of being limited during the approximately 15-pitch session."

Although it wasn't a large sample size, the fact that Gray looked like himself in the session certainly is a positive sign. It's unclear how much time he will miss or if he will be ready for Opening Day, but it sounds like he is making progress in his recovery.

Gray is the club's most important starter and will have a major hand in the club's success in 2024. Hopefully, his recovery remains on schedule and he's able to continue making progress.

More MLB: Cardinals' Elite Prospect Could End Up Making Big League Debut Thanks To Stellar Spring

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to have a tough decision to make soon.

Opening Day is right around the corner and the club is dealing with some injuries already. One of the most notable absences for the club so far in Spring Training has been utility man Tommy Edman.

Edman was expected to be the club's everyday center fielder with Dylan Carlson expected to be the team's fourth outfielder. The young utility man hasn't been fully active yet, though as he recovers from wrist surgery.

Because of the absence of Edman, young speedster Victor Scott II has gotten an extended opportunity and certainly has made the most of it and even could make the big league club, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo.

"If you're looking for a spring storyline the next week will be important for the Cardinals (center field) plans," Woo said." The Cardinals remain non-committal to Victor Scott II opening the year with the big league club, but there's a reason we've seen him so much in spring games."

Scott is St. Louis' No. 4 prospect and shined in 2023. He appeared in 132 games and launched nine home runs, drove in 63 runs, hit 20 doubles, hit 10 triples, and stole an eye-popping 94 bases. Scott slashed .303/.369/.425 while seeing time with the High-A Peoria Chiefs and Double-A Springfield Cardinals. 

He's just 23 years old and began his big league career in 2022, but he's already turning heads. It wouldn't be surprising to see him at least start the 2024 season in the minor leagues, but if he continues to play at the rate he has, he might not give the team a choice.

More MLB: Padres Reportedly Pursuing Ex-Cardinals Outfielder In Free Agency

Opening Day is right around the corner but there are a surprising amount of impact players still available in free agency.

One player who still is available and looking for his next opportunity is former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Tommy Pham. 

Pham -- like many other free agents -- have been negatively impacted by a strange market but it sounds like things may be starting to change. He had a strong season last year with the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks and reportedly is being pursued by the San Diego Padres, according to FanSided's Robert Murray.

"The Padres continue to explore the outfield market with Tommy Pham being one player of interest," Murray said. "Pham and the Padres are familiar with one another; he spent two seasons recently in San Diego and has a good relationship with executive A.J. Preller.

"But Pham is looking to capitalize on a strong season in which he hit .256/.328/.446 with 16 home runs and 68 RBI and is looking for regular playing time. So far, the Padres have been unwilling to meet Pham’s demands."

Pham began his big league career with the Cardinals and spent four-plus seasons with the club. He has been a journeyman ever since and has spent time with the Tampa Bay Rays, Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Mets, and Diamondbacks.

The 36-year-old shined last season and clubbed 16 home runs and drove in 68 runs. Don't be surprised if he finds his next home soon.

More MLB: Cardinals' Elite Prospect Has Been Stellar; Could He Make Big League Debut In 2024?

The St. Louis Cardinals entered the offseason with some of the best outfield depth in Major League Baseball but have been facing some adversity since.

Just weeks away from Opening Day, the position group does not have nearly as much firepower due to a pair of injuries to impact players as well as the trade of Tyler O'Neill to the Boston Red Sox.

"Lars Nootbaar, the Cardinals' projected starter in left field and a top young player the club is hoping will make a major leap offensively in the season ahead, is expected to miss the next two weeks of spring training with two nondisplaced rib fractures on his left side," MLB.com's John Denton wrote Friday.

Nootbar had been dealing with the soreness for almost a week before finally getting imagery done and eventually discovering the severity of his injury. 

It's hard to imagine that Nootbar could do much of anything while he recovers -- seeing as swinging, throwing and running would all be painful acts with fractured ribs -- but the team is not ready to fully shut him down and holding out hope that he could be ready for Opening Day.

“He has to get to the point where he is pain-free,” Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said. “He has to get to the point where -- and this could take 10 to 14 days -- where he won’t have any traumatic injury to that area. You won’t see him playing in the field because you don’t want to see him diving.”

Meanwhile, the Cardinals projected starting center fielder and key utility man Tommy Edman was deemed "doubtful" to make the Opening Day roster by Mozeliak as he recovers from offseason wrist surgery. 

Edman was on track to be ready for the start of the regular season but suffered a setback earlier in spring training that set him off course.

If the Cardinals are without Nootbar and Edman, St. Louis will have to lean on a young core of Jordan Walker, Dylan Carlson and Alec Burleson to open the year. Versatile Brandon Donovan could factor into the mix in a pinch as well.

Ideally, Nootbar recovers quickly and is ready for Opening Day with Edman not far behind.

More MLB: Mariners Sign Rumored Cardinals Free-Agent Target To Bolster Bullpen

The St. Louis Cardinals didn't hesitate to retool their pitching staff this winter after finishing last place in the National League Central in 2023.

With the additions of three proven starting pitchers along with relievers Andrew Kittredge and Kenyan Middleton, the Cardinals are hopefully in a better position to compete this upcoming season.

Some speculate that St. Louis needs more pitching depth but the club continues to stand firm and have passed on another opportunity to bolster their bullpen.

"Ryne Stanek has agreed to a deal with the (Seattle) Mariners, per source" MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported Friday.

Stanek posted a 3-1 record with a 4.09 ERA, 51-to-21 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .221 batting average against and a 1.24 WHIP in 50 2/3 innings pitched for the Houston Astros last season.

The St. Louis native has pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins, and Astros throughout his seven-season career. There was some speculation that he could end up with the Cardinals as a seemingly perfect fit while the club aimed for affordable but impactful relievers. 

The 32-year-old has recorded a 3.45 ERA with a .210 batting average against and a 1.27 WHIP since making his Major League Baseball debut in 2017. He's been fairly consistent throughout his career -- posting above a 1.30 WHIP in only two of his seasons.

This missed chance to add depth to the pitching staff by signing Stanek can be added to the list of opportunities the Cardinals have passed on this offseason.

Hopefully, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak's confidence in the current roster will prove to be sufficient and we won't have to look back on this and wonder why we didn't make more efforts to bolster to bullpen.

More MLB: Cardinals Given Favorable Odds To Make Postseason Per MLB Insider

The St. Louis Cardinals may have had a disappointing 2023 campaign, but the club certainly has a bright future.

St. Louis is loaded with talent and has been given some favorable odds to land a postseason spot in 2024. The Cardinals got some bad news recently with an injury to Sonny Gray, but the club still is in a good spot. 

The Cardinals should be solid in 2024 but could be even better in the years to come as some of the club's top prospects start to make the jump to the big leagues. One player who has been extremely impressive in Spring Training so far is No. 5 prospect Thomas Saggese, according to The Athletic's Jim Bowden.

"Saggese was the Rangers' fifth-round pick in 2020 out of Carlsbad (California) High," Bowden said. "The Cardinals acquired him in the Jordan Montgomery trade at last year's deadline. He played at Double-A and Triple-A last season, slashing a combined .306/.374/.530 with 34 doubles, 26 home runs, 111 RBIs, and 12 steals. This spring his high baseball IQ and instincts have stood out to the Cardinals' coaching staff.

"Oliver Marmol, manager: 'He's a student of the game and taking as much out of his time in camp as possible. He has a good idea at the plate and understands who he is.'"

Bowden compiled a list of one player from each team who has shined in camp and mentioned Saggese for the Cardinals. He is just 21 years old but already has shown great promise in the minors.

The 2023 campaign may have been a disaster for St. Louis, but it did lead the club to be sellers at the trade deadline. St. Louis traded Montgomery for Saggese and he's showing some great potential already. Who knows, maybe he even will make the jump to the big leagues in 2024? 

More MLB: Cardinals Given Favorable Odds To Make Postseason Per MLB Insider

The St. Louis Cardinals posted their worst record in 33 years last season and are looking to turn things around in 2024.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak acted early this offseason to retool the pitching staff, which was the Achilles heel for the club in 2023 ranking No. 24 in the league with a 4.79 ERA and No. 27 with a 1.46 WHIP.

The latest additions to the pitching arsenal have one Major League Baseball insider predicting St. Louis to make a complete turnaround this upcoming season.

Among all the teams that posted a sub-.500 record in 2023, St. Louis has been given the most favorable odds to make the postseason, per MLB.com's Mike Petriello. The Cardinals were given a 54% chance to make the playoffs while the San Francisco Giants and Cleveland Guardians followed at 36% and 31%.

St. Louis is coming off a 71-91 record where expectations were high from the start but nothing went according to plan.

Cardinals legend Adam Wainwright pitched the worst season in his Hall-of-Fame-caliber career, the rest of the rotation and bullpen significantly underperformed and the lineup struggled to score runs -- ranking No. 19 with 719 runs scored.

Not to mention, St. Louis also moved Jordan Montgomery, homegrown talent Jack Flaherty, Jordan Hicks and Chris Stratton at last year's trade deadline.

Hopefully, the rejuvenated pitching staff along with break-out seasons from outfielder Jordan Walker and shortstop Masyn Winn, will help catapult the Cardinals back to the postseason. 

Some have concerns that the latest additions won't be enough to bring the team back to playoff contention but Mozeliak appears confident that his replenished roster is ready to rebound.

More MLB: Cardinals Receive Positive Injury Updates From Pair Of Star Players

Will the St. Louis Cardinals retain one of its superstars for the foreseeable future?

There has been plenty of speculation about the future of first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. The 2022 National League Most Valuable Player had a down year in 2023 but still is one of the top first basemen in baseball.

The 36-year-old will be a free agent at the end of the 2024 season but there has been plenty of speculation that a possible contract extension could come together. Both sides have made it known that an extension won't happen until the 2024 season at least kicks off, but it is a real possibility.

It's unclear what a deal will look like, but The Athletic's Tim Britton projected a deal could end up being close to four years and just under $100 million.

"Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis: Four years, $97 million," Britton said. "Coming off one of its worst seasons in a generation probably isn't the time for St. Louis to commit to running it back deep into the future."

Goldschmidt is 36 years old but still is a star. He won the MVP award at 34 years old and although he had a down year last year still crushed 25 home runs and drove in 80 runs. It was a down year for his standards, but still a solid year overall. 

St. Louis is expected to be in a much better place in 2024 and if it can rebound, a solid season from Goldschmidt certainly will be a major reason why.

More MLB: Cardinals Rising Star Dealing With Tough Injury But Trending In Right Direction

The St. Louis Cardinals will need to remain healthy this upcoming season if they hope to rebound from last year's tumultuous outcome.

Recent injuries have sparked concerns over whether Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak did enough this winter to give the team a fighting chance of bouncing back in 2024.

Despite these worries, we can look forward to a pair of key players returning soon, as MLB.com's John Denton provided positive injury updates Thursday from spring training. 

"(Cardinals) right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray (right hamstring strain) progressed to the point that he was throwing from 60 feet on Thursday," Denton wrote. "Meanwhile, center fielder Tommy Edman (right wrist surgery) resumed hitting off a tee following a pause in his rehab plan because of wrist pain."

Gray suffered a mild hamstring strain during his second spring training outing against the Washington Nationals earlier this week.

It's unclear how long the reigning American League Cy Young runner-up will be out and whether he'll be healthy enough to start on Opening Day. It's a positive sign to see him throwing from 60 feet already -- hopefully, this setback won't delay his regular-season debut.

Edman underwent arthroscopic wrist surgery this winter to correct an achy wrist that bothered him for most of last season.

The 28-year-old is projected to be the Cardinals' starting center fielder but given that Edman hasn't been cleared to face live pitching yet and Opening Day is three weeks away, it's looking like St. Louis might have to shuffle around their outfielders to start the season.

Nonetheless, it's great news to see both key players making progress on their rehab paths. It might not be what Cardinals fans want to hear but it could be worse -- at least we can expect them to return in the near future.

More MLB: Cardinals Rising Star Dealing With Tough Injury But Trending In Right Direction

One of the St. Louis Cardinals outfielders is dealing with a tough injury right now.

Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar has missed the club's last few Spring Training contests as he's dealt with a rib injury.

While this is the case, missing the games is only seen as precautionary at this point and he shouldn't miss much time, according to MLB.com's John Denton.

"Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said Lars Nootbaar (rib soreness) is being withheld as a precautionary measure," Denton said. "He jammed his elbow into his ribs while trying to make a twisting catch and falling vs. the (Houston Astros) on Saturday. He's been unavailable for the last four games, including today."

Nootbaar is expected to play a massive role with the Cardinals in 2024. The young outfielder has dealt with a plethora of injuries throughout his career so far and only was able to appear in 117 games last season. 

He took a massive step forward last year, but injuries remain a serious question for him. Nootbaar currently is dealing with his rib injury, but it's positive that he is just being held out for precautionary reasons. 

St. Louis seemingly is a better place on paper heading into the 2024 campaign, but the club already is being bitten by the injury bug. The Cardinals already have lost ace Sonny Gray to an injury and Nootbaar also is out.

The Cardinals should be able to compete for a playoff spot in 2024, but injuries are going to be a major storyline to follow moving forward.

More MLB: Cardinals Predicted To Be Possible 'Mystery Team' In Sweepstakes For Star

The St. Louis Cardinals spent almost the entirety of the offseason building up their pitching staff after shipping off marquee pieces at the most recent Major League Baseball Trade Deadline.

The most valuable player St. Louis moved on from was left-hander Jordan Montgomery, who reportedly would be open to a reunion.

ESPN's Buster Olney said on The Michael Kay Show that Jordan Montgomery's preference is to be "in a smaller market like Texas, like St. Louis," but isn't sure if that opportunity exists.

Montgomery posted a 3.20 ERA with a 166-to-48 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .247 batting average against and 1.19 WHIP in 188 2/3 innings between his time with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers.

The southpaw went 4-2 with a 2.90 ERA in 31 innings this postseason on his way to the Rangers' first World Championship.

With that said, the offseason has been unusual, leaving the Cardinals with a unique opportunity to pair Montgomery with fellow frontline starter Sonny Gray to lead their rotation.

While that would be incredible, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has been transparent all offseason regarding the club's budget, and it does not appear to have room for $20-$25 million more per year.

St. Louis has no excuse to not go all-in for the southpaw but is unlikely to do so given their history of only moderate spending.

More MLB: Cardinals Ace Sonny Gray Expected To Miss Opening Day With Latest Injury

The St. Louis Cardinals recently got some rough news about one of their top players.

St. Louis made a specific effort to improve the starting rotation and star pitcher Sonny Gray was the club's top free agent pickup. The three-time All-Star should finished in second place in the American League Cy Young Award voting last season and the club will be relying on him.

Gray will miss some time, though, after suffering a disappointing hamstring injury. It doesn't seem like he will be out for long, but he still will miss some time at least. 

Some have speculated if the Cardinals could look to make another addition. There are some intriguing free agents available -- like Jordan Montgomery, Blake Snell, and Michael Lorenzen -- but it's unclear if the club will make a move. 

While this is the case, St. Louis was predicted by Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter to be one of the new clubs that has reached out to agent Scott Boras about Montgomery or Snell.

"The St. Louis Cardinals moved quickly to shore up a starting rotation that was a major weakness last season, adding veterans Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson in the early days of free agency," Reuter said. "Unfortunately, Gray is already sidelined with a hamstring issue that could keep him on the sidelines for Opening Day, and that could expose the lack of quality starting pitching depth on the St. Louis roster.

"Montgomery enjoyed plenty of success in a Cardinals uniform during parts of the past two seasons, posting a 3.31 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 169 strikeouts in 184.2 innings. Considering Gibson and Lynn both signed one-year deals, Montgomery would represent more of a long-term answer to addressing the starting staff."

Boras claimed four new clubs have reached out to him since Spring Training began about the star duo. Could St. Louis be one? 

More MLB: Ex-All-Star Could Be Option For Cardinals To Add Depth After Sonny Gray Injury

The St. Louis Cardinals already are dealing with a similar problem as last year.

St. Louis entered the 2023 campaign loaded with talent but also had question marks about the starting rotation. Ultimately injuries and inconsistent play decimated the club and St. Louis had one of the worst seasons in recent memory.

The Cardinals added Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson in free agency but still have question marks. Gray will miss time -- although it's unclear how much -- and now the club's depth will be tested early. 

St. Louis' rotation without Gray doesn't stack up well with the other top clubs in the National League. The club could use another frontline starter -- like Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery -- but at this point, it seems like a major investment is unlikely.

The club still could add more depth, though, to avoid the same issues as last year. There still are multiple mid-tier options available with upside that could be had for a low cost.

One player who fits this description and could make sense for the Cardinals is six-time All-Star Zack Greinke. The 40-year-old may not be what he once was, but he still could add more depth to the back of the rotation.

Greinke had a 5.06 ERA last season with the Kansas City Royals in 30 appearances but had a 3.68 ERA in 2022. If he could pitch at the same level as he did in 2022 -- or even slightly worse -- he would be a very solid pickup and wouldn't cost much due to his age.

The 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner has made it known that he wants to pitch in 2024 but hasn't found his next opportunity yet. At this point in his career, he may not completely move the needly in St. Louis' favor, but he wouldn't hurt. 

St. Louis' depth already is being tested and it wouldn't hurt to add more.

More MLB: Cardinals Linked To Trio Of Starting Pitchers After Unfortunate Injury To Sonny Gray

The St. Louis Cardinals are a few short weeks away from beginning their campaign of bouncing back from one of the worst seasons in franchise history in 2023.

Despite the recent injury update of ace Sonny Gray, who will likely miss the Opening Day start against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cardinals aren't worried and appear confident with their rejuvenated roster.

The Cardinals have retooled the pitching staff this winter and possess strong position player depth. It's no surprise to see the club pass on an opportunity to reunite with a former St. Louis infielder who has reportedly landed a deal with a National League foe.

"The (San Diego) Padres have signed longtime infielder Brad Miller to a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp," MLB.com's AJ Cassavell reported Tuesday.

Miller batted .232 with 16 extra-base hits including seven home runs, 25 RBIs and a .808 OPS while manning the positions of shortstop, third base and second base in 48 games played for St. Louis in the 2020 shortened season.

The 34-year-old has played for seven teams, including the Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, Cardinals and most recently the Texas Rangers.

The journeyman has logged a .236/.314/.416 slash line throughout his career and can certainly be a useful player, however, Miller has struggled with injuries the past two seasons -- having only played in 27 games last season and 81 the year prior.

A reunion with Miller wouldn't have made sense for the Cardinals as they recently signed four-time Gold Glove winner Brandon Crawford to bolster their infield depth and don't appear to require any further additions.

It's tough to see the Cardinals making any more moves this late in free agency but there's still a chance it could happen -- hopefully for more pitching depth.

More MLB: Cardinals Linked To Trio Of Starting Pitchers After Unfortunate Injury To Sonny Gray

The St. Louis Cardinals got some disappointing news Tuesday.

St. Louis made a specific effort to improve the starting rotation early in the offseason and the club's most notable addition certainly was three-time All-Star Sonny Gray.

The 34-year-old shined last season with the Minnesota Twins and finished second in the American League Cy Young Award voting. The club certainly is excited about Gray, but now may have to wait to see him back on the mound after he suffered a hamstring injury.

St. Louis will now have some tough decisions to make. The Cardinals still have plenty of money to spend and there are some intriguing players available in free agency. The club has hinted it may not be looking, though.

While this is the case, Jordan Montgomery, Blake Snell, and Michel Lorenzen all were floated as possible options by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold.

"The Cardinals will spend the next couple of days monitoring Gray’s recovery for a better sense of the injury and his healing," Goold said. That will also buy them time to determine if they need to address their pitching depth like they recently did their shortstop depth — by going shopping.

"The free-agent market remains stocked with options, including the top-shelf lefties Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery but also pitchers who are looking for lesser commitments, in dollars or years, and also offer less certainty. Michael Lorenzen, 32, is coming off a 5.51 ERA and also a no-hitter in his final 11 appearances last year after a trade to Philadelphia. The last time the Cardinals made a significant free-agent pitcher move during spring training was Kyle Lohse in March 2008. He started opening day a few weeks later and won 15 games."

St. Louis' club is in a better place than it was at the end of the 2023 season. The Cardinals could earn a playoff spot and maybe even more but the club's rotation still has question marks. Why not add some more depth?

More MLB: All-Star Pitcher Reportedly Looking For Deal In Range That Cardinals Could Afford

The St. Louis Cardinals accomplished their main objective of retooling the rotation with three proven hurlers this offseason but there are concerns that the club might need more depth.

There have been numerous missed opportunities to bolster the replenished rotation further but president of baseball operations John Mozeliak continues to remain content with his starting pitching arsenal.

Mozeliak was asked Tuesday about where he stands on pursuing other pitching options but his comments remain on par with what he's been saying for the past few months.

"I definitely feel it's not something that is required at this point," Mozeliak told MLB.com's John Denton on Tuesday. "Obviously if something changes, we'd have to look at it differently. But we're not thinking we'll have to do anything now."

This statement by Mozeliak comes after the most recent injury update of St. Louis' top starter Sonny Gray -- who likely won't be pitching on Opening Day due to a mild hamstring strain.

Even though Gray's absence is likely short-term, the Cardinals are now faced with the reality that their rotation is in serious trouble if one of their top starters does suffer an injury that impacts them long-term.

St. Louis' rotation is composed of Gray -- a reigning American League Cy Young runner-up -- Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn, and Miles Mikolas -- three middling to lower level pitchers above the age of 35 -- and Steven Matz, whose performance has been as volatile as his health in recent seasons.

The Cardinals might be in trouble this upcoming season if their starting pitchers cannot remain healthy or perform as Mozeliak expects. 

There are still some quality options available in free agency but Mozeliak all but ruled that out. The next most likely path would be a trade deadline acquisition if the Cardinals can be competitive for the first half of the season.

More MLB: Cardinals Fans Will Hate Latest Report Regarding Reunion With Premier Pitcher

The St. Louis Cardinals could be in trouble early due to a pitching staff that does not have the star power to compete following a last-place finish in the National League Central.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak made one marquee addition when he inked ace Sonny Gray to a three-year, $75 million contract. The other starting pitching additions, however, left much to be desired given the emphasis he placed on revamping the pitching staff.

Many complained that Mozeliak did not do enough and now we're seeing why. One injury could derail the team's entire outlook.

"Cardinals right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray has been diagnosed with a 'mild' hamstring strain, per president of baseball operations John Mozeliak," MLB.com's John Denton reported Tuesday. "Mo called it 'encouraging news,' but admitted that Gray making the Opening Day start would be 'challenging.'"

Without Gray, the Cardinals rotation will consist of Miles Mikolas, Steven Matz, Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn and either Zack Thompson or Matthew Liberatore. That group is quite poor on paper. 

Gray was not only expected to head the pitching staff but maintain an impressive run that led to his second-place finish in American League Cy Young voting last season.

The 34-year-old posted a 2.79 ERA with a 183-to-55 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .226 batting average against and a 1.15 WHIP in 184 innings across 32 starts in 2023.

He'll have to postpone his dominance, which also means he will not be there to attempt to shut down the Los Angeles Dodgers superteam on Opening Day.

A realistic timeline has yet to come out but Gray appears to have avoided missing significant time. That means a lot given the lack of depth in St. Louis.

More MLB: Cardinals Ace Suffers Concerning Injury During Spring Training Outing

The St. Louis Cardinals made a splash this offseason when they added right-hander Sonny Gray alongside a few ancillary pieces but did not do much to improve on paper from a season ago.

While unlikely, St. Louis would benefit from adding another starter following a last-place finish in the National League Central.

Jordan Montgomery is miraculously still available this late in the offseason. Unfortunately, there's a good chance he won't be headed back to St. Louis.

"Boras told reporters in Arizona on Monday that four new teams had contacted him about the free-agent pitchers in the past week," St. Louis Post Dispatch's Derrick Goold wrote on Monday referring to Montgomery and Blake Snell. "As of Monday afternoon, the Cardinals had not been a team that recently reached out to Boras about the starters, sources described."

The Cardinals to this point, appear to be uninvolved in the race for either premier hurler with spring training underway and St. Louis seemingly at or close to the top of its budget.

In an offseason where ownership hasn't spent much, this could have been the perfect time to lock down a frontline starter for years to come alongside Gray. 

Once news broke on Gray's hamstring injury it appeared that St. Louis might be forced to look into bringing back Montgomery, but it now appears to be unlikely.

A reunion with Montgomery would still come with a hefty price tag, and ownership has clearly shied away from spending this offseason.

More MLB: Cardinals Ace Suffers Concerning Injury During Spring Training Outing

The St. Louis Cardinals got some bad news Monday.

St. Louis' biggest signing of the offseason certainly was star pitcher Sonny Gray. The three-time All-Star has been impressive so far in Spring Training but suffered a concerning injury Monday and it's unclear if he will end up missing much time.

The Cardinals made three additions to the starting rotation this offseason, but still don't have much depth. If Gray were to miss time, this could end up being an issue.

Hopefully Gray will be able to return to the mound quickly, but another signing could make sense in free agency.

One player who could make a lot of sense is former Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels, Detroit Tigers, and Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Michael Lorenzen.

He earned his first All-Star nod last season and reportedly is looking for a two-year deal worth around $20 million, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

"Free-agent right-handed Michael Lorenzen continues to see a two-year deal, according to sources briefed on his intentions," Rosenthal said. "Lorenzen, 32, earned $9.25 million last season, including $750,000 in incentives. An increase in his average annual value on a two-year deal would put him in the range of a $20 million guarantee."

St. Louis has plenty of wiggle room in the payroll if it wants to make another addition. Lorenzen may not be a massive name, but he could help. He had a 4.18 ERA in 29 total appearances last season and wouldn't cost too much.

The Cardinals are hoping to get back to the postseason in 2024 but one injury could completely derail that. Why not add some more depth?

More MLB: Insider Predicts Cardinals Will Sign Superstar Slugger To Contract Extension

The St. Louis Cardinals' top concern going into this upcoming season is whether the retooled pitching staff will be enough to thrust the team back into contention.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak acted quickly this winter in landing three veteran starting pitchers to replenish the rotation and has expressed a lack of interest in pursuing further options.

Despite St. Louis' recent inactivity in the starting pitching market, there's still a chance that St. Louis could be a dark horse contender to land top free agent Jordan Montgomery.

"Four new teams have reached out to Scott Boras about Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery since the start of spring training, Boras says," USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Monday.

The Cardinals have been among other top-market clubs this offseason rumored to be eyeing a deal with Montgomery but no signing has taken place -- likely due to Boras' strategy of holding out to land his clients with the most lavish contract possible.

After two of Boras' clients -- Matt Chapman and Cody Bellinger -- recently signed pillow contracts instead of long-term deals, it might be possible for the Cardinals to do the same with Montgomery.

It's unlikely that the Cardinals would spend the amount of money necessary to reunite with the former St. Louis pitcher but it's not out of the question.

With the recent news of ace Sonny Gray injuring his hamstring at spring training, the Cardinals are faced with the reality that they could be shorthanded come Opening Day.

Perhaps St. Louis will now realize that without Gray, their rotation is weak and could benefit from adding Montgomery to the arsenal to cushion their chances of having a successful 2024 season.

Will we see the Cardinals make a last-second act of desperation to bring Montgomery back to Busch Stadium?

More MLB: Insider Predicts Cardinals Will Sign Superstar Slugger To Contract Extension