St Louis Cardinals - Inside The Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals have made a handful of moves this offseason but still could use some more help.

The biggest area of need for the Cardinals right now still is in the bullpen. St. Louis has made some intriguing additions to the bullpen, but another addition or two could make sense. 

St. Louis had one of the worst bullpens in baseball last season and there still are some interesting options out there who could be brought in on inexpensive deals. One player St. Louis reportedly has had "ongoing talks" with is former Houston Astros hurler Phil Maton, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold.

"I can only stick with the previous reports from the Post-Dispatch, ones that I've put in the paper previously because I've had sources confirm the Cardinals' interest to the level required for reporting in the Post-Dispatch," Goold said. "The Cardinals have had ongoing talks with Maton, an Illinois native, and they are one of several teams that have engaged in talks for right-handed reliever Ryan Brasier."

Maton has spent the last two-plus seasons with the Astros and has been impressive. He had a 3.00 ERA in 68 total appearances in Houston in 2023 with a 74-to-25 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

If the Cardinals could land Maton, he could go a long way in helping out the club's bullpen. He is a seven-year big league veteran with a 4.25 career ERA and a 398-to-136 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

St. Louis already is in a better place, but adding a reliever of Maton's caliber certainly would help.

More MLB: Mariners Listening To Offers For Pitchers; Cardinals Make Sense As Trade Partner

The St. Louis Cardinals have been busy retooling their roster this winter after a disappointing last-place National League Central finish in 2023.

The top priority of replenishing the rotation has been addressed and the club is still on the lookout to add weapons to the bullpen.

The latest move made by the Cardinals signals an effort to add positional depth to the roster before Opening Day.

The Cardinals have claimed first baseman/outfielder Alfonso Rivas off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels and designated outfielder Moisés Gómez for assignment -- the team announced Monday.

Rivas batted .229 with 14 extra-base hits including three home runs, 15 RBIs, and a .725 OPS in 109 at-bats for the San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023.

The 27-year-old made his Major League Baseball debut in 2021 with the Chicago Cubs and has played most of his defensive innings at first base -- occasionally manning left or right field.

Since making his debut, Rivas logged .243/.324/.349 and has been bounced around quite a bit -- being claimed off waivers just this offseason by the Cleveland Guardians, Angels and Cardinals.

It's unlikely to see Rivas make a major splash for the Cardinals in 2024 as he's suited to be a depth option in the event of an injury to a member of the active roster.

Perhaps with more experience, Rivas can rise to a more significant role in St. Louis. Until then, this move is nothing to write home about.

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The St. Louis Cardinals' biggest objective going into this offseason was to rejuvenate the pitching staff that underperformed in 2023.

The club went out and landed three proven starters to replenish the rotation and then traded for right-hander Andrew Kittredge to bolster the bullpen.

The Cardinals could still use a high-leverage reliever and a former Boston Red Sox closer would be a perfect fit.

"Free agent right-handed pitcher Matt Barnes, a 2021 All-Star, is likely to throw for Major League Baseball teams within the next week," MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Sunday. "Barnes is coming back from an offseason hip procedure; with his World Series experience, he could be a wise addition for teams needing bullpen help."

Barnes posted a 32-30 record with a 4.07 ERA, 556-to-200 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .240 batting average against and a 1.34 WHIP throughout nine seasons pitched for the Red Sox.

The 33-year-old was traded to the Miami Marlins in 2023 -- along with cash -- in exchange for left-handed pitcher Richard Bleier. 

The former World Series champion struggled last season -- recording a 5.48 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP in 21 1/3 innings pitched. Barnes missed the latter half of 2023 due to a left hip impingement and entered free agency this winter after the Marlins declined a $9 million club option.

It's been said that the Cardinals are looking in the $5 million range for another reliever and Barnes will likely land in that range.

With Barnes presumably healthy and looking to bounce back, it might be in the Cardinals' best interest to take a flyer on the proven reliever. 

More MLB: Cardinals Talking To Free Agent Pitchers; Could Deal Be Coming Soon?

The St. Louis Cardinals have a young core of position players and entered the offseason with the idea of improving the pitching staff as much as possible following a last-place finish in the National League Central last season.

While Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak should remain focused on pitching, it would not hurt to add an intriguing player after a dominant showing a season ago.

The Los Angeles Angels designated outfielder/first baseman Trey Cabbage for assignment on Saturday.

The 26-year-old with arguably the best name in professional baseball should have league-wide interest and could be a perfect depth option for St. Louis.

Cabbage hit .306 with 58 extra-base hits including 30 home runs, 89 RBIs and a .975 OPS in 107 games for Triple-A Salt Lake last season. He also stole 35 bases in 35 attempts.

His impressive Triple-A campaign warranted a big-league debut, which was not nearly as fruitful. Cabbage hit .208 (11-for-53) with a .553 OPS in a brief 22-game stint.

Strikeouts played a huge part in the Angels' willingness to lose Cabbage -- though they likely are hoping he can pass through waivers. 

The rookie posted a 49% strikeout rate during his short big-league career and a more damning 34% strikeout rate across a much larger sample size at the Triple-A level across 418 at-bats.

That said, Cabbage is more than deserving of an opportunity to land a 40-man roster spot and St. Louis should be in the mix.

A simple waiver claim could get him in the organization free of cost -- or the Cardinals could trade a low-level asset to ensure they land him.

Cabbage in all likelihood will not determine who wins the World Series next season but he could be a strong addition to an already impressive outfield group.

More MLB: Cardinals Could Jump Into Bidding War For Hurler To Bolster Bullpen

The Seattle Mariners may end up making a trade or two before Spring Training rolls around.

Seattle won 88 games in 2023 and is looking for ways to improve its club still. The Mariners -- unlike most Major League Baseball clubs -- boast a surplus of young, starting pitching and could end up trading a hurler away for offensive help. 

Most clubs are looking to improve their starting rotation in some way and the Mariners may end up trading away at least one of their controllable arms for a massive price. Multiple Seattle hurlers have been in trade rumors throughout the offseason. George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo all have been mentioned in trade rumors in some way this offseason. 

Seattle hasn't gotten a deal done yet but still is listening to trade proposals, according to The Athletic's Jim Bowden.

"The Mariners continue to listen to trade proposals for pitchers in their starting rotation since the return in this market would be inflated," Bowden said. "Then consider signing Blake Snell to upgrade the top of the rotation."

The St. Louis Cardinals already have improved their starting rotation this offseason but could make sense as a possible trade partner for the Mariners. The two sides have been linked together in the past and the Cardinals could have what the Mariners are looking for. 

A trade may be unlikely, but if the Cardinals could center a deal around someone like Brendan Donovan or Dylan Carlson and mix in multiple prospects, maybe a deal could make sense for both sides. 

St. Louis seems comfortable with the way its rotation currently is constructed but if it could land a young hurler with upside, why not at least explore a possible move?

The St. Louis Cardinals certainly have improved the club this offseason but there still could be more moves on the horizon.

St. Louis has significantly improved the starting rotation and also has added multiple relievers with upside. While this is the case, the bullpen still is an area of need. St. Louis has been linked to multiple hurlers but hasn't been able to get much done yet.

Although this is the case, it doesn't mean a move isn't coming. St. Louis is "still in the mix" for multiple relievers, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold.

"While still in the mix for a few free-agent relievers, the Cardinals have yet to sign one this winter to a major league contract," Goold said. "They’ve added four notable relievers instead to the 40-man roster via trade or Rule-5 draft. Three of them have a career strikeout rate greater than 27%, and newcomer Nick Robertson’s nears 30% — in the minor leagues.

"As one of the returning pitchers said about himself, the Cardinals are 'chasing strikeouts.' Getting them will hinge on how the Cardinals turn that breeze through the minors into more than a whiff of success in the majors."

There still are some intriguing hurlers out there who could help the Cardinals. Some of the top remaining free-agent relievers are Wandy Peralta, Keynan Middleton, Ryne Stanek, Jake Junis, and Phil Maton. 

It's unclear who the Cardinals are targeting exactly, but it's clear that the club is looking to bolster the bullpen. St. Louis will have to act fast before the top arms remaining land elsewhere.

More MLB: Dodgers Reportedly Land Ex-Cardinals Hurler To Help Add Bullpen Depth

The Los Angeles Dodgers certainly have been the most active team in baseball this offseason.

Los Angeles has made the two largest moves of the offseason by signing two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and young ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Dodgers also traded for Tyler Glasnow and signed slugger Teoscar Hernández.

It wouldn't be too surprising to see the Dodgers make another major move at this point. They've clearly shown they are going all in on the 2024 campaign.

While this is the case and Los Angeles has made some splashy moves, it also has added more organizational depth throughout the organization.

The Dodgers announced 20 non-roster invitations to Spring Training and in doing so announced that they signed former Cardinals hurler T.J. McFarland to a minor league deal, according to Major League Baseball Trade Rumors' Anthony Franco.

"The Dodgers announced 20 non-roster invitations to big league Spring Training," Franco said. "While the majority of those players were either already in the L.A. organization or had been previously reported as minor league signees, a few of the invitees are new acquisitions. Reliever T.J. McFarland and infielder Kevin Padlo will be in camp, as will right-handers Kevin Gowdy and Michael Petersen.

"McFarland, 34, has the most (extensive) MLB track record. He has pitched in 353 big league contests going back to 2013. The soft-tossing lefty reached the majors for the 11th straight year last summer with a brief stint for the (New York Mets). He was on New York’s roster for around two weeks in the middle of the summer. He pitched three times, logging 1 2/3 innings of two-run ball."

McFarland spent two seasons in St. Louis in 2021 and 2022 and had a 4.42 ERA in 66 appearances with a 37-to-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He now will attempt to work his way back up to the big leagues with Los Angeles.

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The St. Louis Cardinals got off to a fast start in free agency, signing three starting pitchers before most teams could make a single move.

Since then, however, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has moved at a snail's pace. 

The trade of Tyler O'Neill brought some pitching depth and the trade for right-hander Andrew Kittredge shored up the back-end of the bullpen. With that said, the goal remains to add one more high-leverage arm alongside Ryan Helsley, Giovanny Gallegos and Jojo Romero.

The market reportedly is heating up for one of the best players in their projected price range, former Houston Astros right-hander Ryne Stanek.

The 32-year-old is receiving interest from both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale on Thursday.

The Cardinals would be wise to get involved before the bidding war reaches its apex.

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

While St. Louis would welcome that level of production coming off of a season in which the bullpen posted a cumulative 4.47 ERA, the ceiling for Stanek is much higher.

The right-hander recorded a 1.15 ERA with a 62-to-31 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .188 batting average against and a 1.23 WHIP in 54 2/3 innings in 2022 as a pivotal member of the Astros World Series run.

That season appears to be somewhat of a fluke but the 32-year-old has a 142 ERA+ over the last three seasons -- meaning he's been 42% better than league average over the aforementioned span.

St. Louis needs to infuse as much talent into the pitching staff as possible after a last-place finish in the National League Central.

Not only would Stanek improve the Cardinals but his acquisition would prevent him from landing with the rival Cubs -- a nice bonus.

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The St. Louis Cardinals continue to add depth to the organization.

The 2023 season certainly was a disaster for the Cardinals and the club has responded by adding some frontline talent, but also bolstering organizational depth with big-league experience.

St. Louis' starting rotation was the club's biggest issue last year, but the bullpen didn't do the club any favors either.

The Cardinals have made some intriguing additions already and made another Friday. St. Louis officially signed former Houston Astros hurler Josh James to a minor league deal, according to the club. 

"We have signed (right-handed pitcher) Josh James to a minor league contract for the 2024 season," the club said. "James, 30, appeared in 87 games with Houston (including 14 postseason games) from 2018-21 and has struck out 13.3 batters per 9 IP over his (Major League Baseball) career."

James has a career 4.64 ERA in 73 total appearances at the big league level but boasts a fastball that can eclipse 100 miles per hour. He only appeared in five games at the big league level with Houston last season and spent most of his time in the minors. 

He has spent parts of four different seasons in Majors and may not play a massive role with the Cardinals, but does provide more depth. If he can impress in Spring Training or the minor leagues, maybe a call-up could be a possibility at some point. If not, he doesn't hurt the Cardinals in any way.

Landing James may not be a flashy move, but he does provide much-needed depth with big-league upside to the minor leagues.

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The St. Louis Cardinals still could use another move or two. 

St. Louis has significantly improved its starting rotation by bringing in Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson. The rotation was the Cardinals' weakest area of the club last season and luckily progress already has been made.

At this point in the offseason, it would be shocking to see St. Louis make a large addition. While this is the case, there still are some intriguing mid-tier options available in free agency who could help the club.

One available player is former Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels, Detroit Tigers, and Philadelphia Phillies hurler Michael Lorenzen. He is looking for a new opportunity and even threw a bullpen session in front of clubs recently, according to FanSided's Robert Murray.

"Free-agent pitchers Michael Lorenzen and Noah Syndergaard threw bullpen sessions for about 16 (Major League Baseball) teams in California on Tuesday, sources say," Murray said. "Both players impressed in the throwing sessions, with Syndergaard consistently sitting at 93-95 mph.

"Lorenzen, 32, is among the top options available outside of Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery. With the Detroit Tigers, the right-hander posted a 3.58 ERA in 105.2 innings pitched. He threw a no-hitter in his second start with the Philadelphia Phillies following a midseason trade, only to post a 5.51 ERA in 11 games (seven starts)."

Lorenzen earned his first All-Star nod last season and could be a solid addition if the Cardinals decided to make another move. He wouldn't be very expensive, has plenty of National League Central experience, and is coming off arguably his best season.

St. Louis had very little depth last season. Why not add some more so the club doesn't have a similar issue in 2024?

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The St. Louis Cardinals may be done adding to the starting rotation but that doesn't mean there aren't any intriguing options still out there. 

St. Louis already has added three starting pitchers this offseason and seems to be in a much better spot than they were in. The Cardinals said they wanted to add three hurlers and did just that by signing Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson.

There still are some frontline hurlers available -- like Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell -- but they are definitely out of St. Louis' price range at this point.

While this is the case, there still are some mid-tier options available with upside that could make sense for St. Louis to add even more depth. One hurler who fits this description well is former New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cleveland Guardians starter Noah Syndergaard.

The big righty currently is a free agent and reportedly threw a bullpen session for interested clubs and impressed, according to FanSided's Robert Murray.

"Free-agent pitchers Michael Lorenzen and Noah Syndergaard threw bullpen sessions for about 16 (Major League Baseball) teams in California on Tuesday, sources say," Murray said. "Both players impressed in the throwing sessions, with Syndergaard consistently sitting at 93-95 mph...

"Syndergaard, 31, is coming off a season in which he posted a 6.50 ERA in 88.2 innings with the (Los Angeles Dodgers) and (Cleveland Guardians). He’s a candidate to receive a one-year, prove-it deal and is drawing interest from the Pittsburgh Pirates, among others, sources say."

The 31-year-old had a rough 2023 campaign but has the potential to be a bounce-back candidate. He is a former All-Star who has dealt with a handful of injuries. He may no longer be an ace, but if he's healthy he could provide depth at the big league level.

One of St. Louis' biggest issues last season was a lack of depth so why not give Syndergaard a chance on a cheap deal? 

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The St. Louis Cardinals could use some help in the bullpen.

St. Louis has improved the bullpen this offseason, but there's still more work that needs to be done. When you win just 71 games in a season, there are clearly holes on the roster that need to be filled.

The bullpen struggled last season and was overused due to struggles in the starting rotation. St. Louis has made some intriguing additions to help the bullpen, but it wouldn't hurt to make another move or two.

One player that was floated as a possible option for St. Louis is one-time All-Star Matt Moore. He no longer is available, though, as he reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

"Left-handed reliever Matt Moore and the Los Angeles Angels are in agreement on a one-year, $9 million contract, sources tell ESPN," Passan said. "Moore joins the recently signed Robert Stephenson, plus previous free agent signings Luis García and Adam Cimber, in a completely overhauled bullpen."

There still are some solid relievers out there in free agency, but the Cardinals will need to act fast if they want to get a deal done.

Some of the top free-agent relievers still available are Wandy Peralta, Keynan Middleton, Héctor Neris, David Robertson, and Adam Ottavino among others. 

St. Louis already has improved the club on paper. The starting rotation is in a significantly better place and the bullpen is better. St. Louis should be considered one of the top clubs in the National League Central right now but it wouldn't hurt to make another addition or two.

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The St. Louis Cardinals' pitching staff underperformed in 2023, leading to one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

To bounce back from last year's tumultuous outcome, the Cardinals have landed three proven starters as well as right-hander Andrew Kittredge. 

The former Tampa Bay Rays hurler notably upgraded the bullpen but Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak reportedly would like to add one more high-leverage arm before spring training.

The perception is that Mozeliak will be looking for someone in the $5 million range, ruling out some of the top options available. 

Right-handed pitcher David Robertson comes to mind as an affordable yet impactful option still seeking a new home. 

Robertson posted a 6-6 record with a 3.03 ERA, 78-to-25 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .221 batting average against and a 1.19 WHIP in 65 1/3 innings pitched for the New York Mets and Miami Marlins in 2023.

The 38-year-old has proven his worth in the league with a career 2.90 ERA and 175 saves across his esteemed 15-year career.

The veteran hurler struggled after the trade deadline, recording a 5.06 ERA with a 1.59 WHIP in 21 1/3 innings in Miami after posting a 2.05 ERA in 44 innings to open the year with the Mets.

The Cardinals could sign Robertson to a short-term contract and see if he still has juice left in the tank for what would be his 16th season.

With spring training coming up, the Cardinals are running out of time to add to their bullpen and should make a move to acquire Robertson before it's too late.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have made a plethora of moves this offseason.

St. Louis had one of the worst seasons in recent memory in 2023 and is attempting to prove that it was a fluke. The Cardinals have reloaded the roster and seem to be in a much better place.

The Cardinals have significantly improved the starting rotation, have added to the bullpen, and even have added more offensive depth by reuniting with three-time All-Star Matt Carpenter.

Although the club already is better, bringing in another relief pitcher could be a solid idea for the Cardinals.

Luckily for the club, there are some very interesting hurlers still available. One player who has been floated as a possible option for the Cardinals is former New York Yankees hurler Keynan Middleton by Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer. 

"The Cardinals got the three starting pitchers they wanted, and their reunion with Matt Carpenter is good for additional depth at DH in addition to being a fun story," Rymer said. "From my perspective, the Cardinals look pretty good for a team that just finished in last place. If anything, they might have turned themselves into the team to beat in the (National League) Central. At least until the (Chicago Cubs) do more, anyway.

"Yet as tempted as I was to leave this page blank, it was only last Monday that Katie Woo of The Athletic reported that the Cardinals are monitoring the relief market. They could use another right-hander, for which even a lesser target like (Shintaro Fujinami), Keynan Middleton, or Ryne Stanek would suffice."

Rymer compiled a list of the possible options for each big league club to help improve their club throughout the rest of the offseason. Middleton would be a very solid option for the Cardinals. 

Middleton compiled a 3.38 ERA last season in 51 total appearances with the Chicago White Sox and Yankees. He was most impressive down the stretch after being traded to New York and logged a 1.88 ERA in 12 appearances with a 17-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

St. Louis still has some money to spend and landing Middleton would make a lot of sense. 

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The St. Louis Cardinals have been one of the most active clubs in baseball this offseason.

St. Louis certainly needed to make a handful of moves. The Cardinals surprisingly were one of the worst teams in baseball last season. St. Louis entered the offseason with its top priority being to improve the starting rotation.

The Cardinals did just that by bringing in Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson to help stabilize the rotation. St. Louis also has added some intriguing hurlers to help the bullpen as well. 

Although the Cardinals have made a handful of moves, they may not be done adding, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo.

"The Cardinals believe they are built well enough to contend in a lackluster National League Central division, though they are open to making another addition," Woo said. "Throughout the Winter Warm-Up Weekend, the message was clear: You have to get to October before you can worry about October. Right now, however, the Cardinals must start by simply getting through April.

"Given how disappointing last season was, the front office's stated intention to return to playoff contention this year, and ownership's recent revelation that the club is on track financially, there is immense pressure for (Oli Marmol's) club to post a solid start. The first month of the season does the Cardinals no favors."

St. Louis certainly has a chance to compete in the National League Central right now with how the club is constructed. If the Cardinals could make another move or two this offseason, it could only help.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have a slew of Hall of Famers due to their long history of success and star power.

With the latest Hall of Fame class set to be announced on Tuesday, one former Cardinals superstar is in line to receive some disappointing news.

Former outfielder Matt Holliday has only received 1% percent of votes with just over half of the ballots revealed.

Holliday would need 75% of votes to make it to Cooperstown, which is impossible at this juncture. The pertinent issue is that players who receive less than 5% of votes are taken off of the ballot.

The seven-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, 2007 Batting Title winner and 2011 World Series Champion appears set to be among those in the "Hall Of Very Good" category that will not receive the love needed to make it to Cooperstown.

Holliday batted .299, with 816 extra-base hits including 316 home runs, 1220 RBIs and a .889 OPS (132 OPS+) in 15 seasons across four organizations. 

The 44-year-old spent eight seasons in St. Louis, where he made four All-Star games, won the aforementioned Silver Slugger and finished in the top-25 of National League MVP voting four times.

Holliday will always be remembered as one of the more impactful players in this modern era of Cardinals baseball but did not quite do enough to be among the greatest of all time.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have been relatively silent since their addition of three starting pitchers to kick off the offseason.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak reportedly still is in the hunt for one more high-leverage reliever following the trade for right-hander Andrew Kittredge but nothing has come together so far.

While taking a break from external hires, Mozeliak was able to lock in a contract with one of his higher-performing position players for a couple of seasons.

"The Cardinals announced that they have signed Tommy Edman to a two-year contract to avoid an arbitration hearing," MLB.com's John Denton reported Monday. "The two sides were $450,000 apart when the arbitration deadline hit earlier in January. Edman is projected to be the team’s starting center fielder on Opening Day."

Not much changes for the outlook of either the team or player, as Edman already was under team control for the next two seasons. However, it's a step in the right direction regarding a possible longer-term extension down the road.

Edman is a league-average offensive player -- entering 2024 with a career 100 OPS+ -- and a suburb and versatile defender. St. Louis would be wise to keep him in-house for the long haul as the young core continues to develop around him. 

For now, the two sides coming together on a price point for arbitration-eligible years is encouraging. 

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The St. Louis Cardinals added some more depth to the organization Monday.

St. Louis has been extremely busy this offseason adding to the roster. The Cardinals entered the offseason with plenty of holes throughout the organization as shown through the big league club winning just 71 games last season.

The Cardinals have made some significant moves to the club and already look better on paper. St. Louis has made some big moves this offseason -- with the largest being landing star pitcher Sonny Gray -- but also some depth moves.

St. Louis continued adding depth to the organization Monday by signing former Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies prospect Jonathan Morales to a minor league deal, according to the club.

"We have signed (catcher) Jonathan Morales and (left-handed pitcher) Nick Raquet to minor league contracts for the 2024 season," the club said. "Morales, 29, is a Puerto Rican native who has played in 632 games between the Braves and Rockies systems and has thrown out 51% of Triple-A base stealers since 2019."

Morales may not play much of a role at the big league level in 2024, but he is an interesting signing. St. Louis is expected to have Willson Contreras and Iván Herrera at the big league level next season.

Landing Morales is a solid move because St. Louis no longer has Andrew Knizner in the organization. Morales can fill in at Triple-A and be an option for the Cardinals if injuries pop up.

Last season, he appeared in 96 total games and slashed .252/.310/.419 with 14 home runs and 62 RBIs while also providing solid defense behind the plate.

More MLB: Cardinals Superstar In Better Place Than He Was Last Year; Could Big Season Be Coming?

The St. Louis Cardinals had one of the worst seasons in recent memory in 2023.

St. Louis had high expectations but wasn't able to live up to them. The Cardinals never truly got their footing and won just 71 games and finished in last place in the National League Central. 

Although last season wasn't great, the Cardinals seem like they are in a much better place right now. St. Louis made some intriguing additions and the roster already is improved on paper. 

Plus, one of the Cardinals' biggest stars is in a much better place. Star third baseman Nolan Arenado had a down year last season as well and dealt with some inconsistent play, as well as a tough injury to his back. 

It sounds like everything is going well for him now, though, and he's in a much better place heading into Spring Training, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo.

"I feel really good," Arenado said to Woo. "The way I feel right now -- obviously it's early and we'll see how spring goes -- but the way I feel right now is better than I felt last year at this point. My swing is better right now than it was probably at any point last year.

"I'm already hitting, taking groundballs, moving, (and) running. I feel like I'm ready to go now. I really like where I'm at. I found a routine and I found something that has made me feel better. I've had to learn that less is more, and I have to find a way to make sure I apply that to the season also, though."

A bounce-back season from Arenado certainly is a necessity for the Cardinals. If he can return to form and the pitching performs better, maybe St. Louis could surprise some people next year.

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One former member of the St. Louis Cardinals has a massive market in free agency.

Former Cardinals ace Jordan Montgomery has been a hot commodity this offseason. He is one of the top free agents available and with so many teams looking to improve their starting rotations, many have shown interest in a signing.

It's unclear where Montgomery will land, but the Texas Rangers seem like the most likely move right now, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

"A return to Texas has seemed like the logical move for Montgomery, who helped lead the Rangers to the first World Series title in franchise history last fall," Feinsand said. "A local barbecue joint located near Globe Life Field has even done its part in trying to lure Montgomery back to Texas, offering the left-hander free BBQ for life if he re-ups with the Rangers.

"So why hasn’t it happened? Montgomery could simply be falling victim to a market that – outside of the (Los Angeles Dodgers) – has seemingly been hesitant to make big deals. The Rangers make the most sense for Montgomery, who has also been connected to the (New York Yankees), (Boston Red Sox), (Philadelphia Phillies), (Los Angeles Angels), and (San Francisco Giants) in recent weeks."

Montgomery had a great year in 2023 with the Cardinals and Rangers. He was most impressive down the stretch after St. Louis traded him to Texas. The big lefty shined brightest in the postseason and helped lead the Rangers to a World Series title. 

It wouldn't be too surprising to see him back in Texas in 2024.

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