The St. Louis Cardinals have kept a low profile this offseason, with efforts to trade Nolan Arenado in an attempt to reduce their payroll, but so far, those talks haven’t panned out.
It looks like they’re stepping back from contention in 2025, but that doesn’t mean they won’t make some moves to round out their roster.
The Cardinals could definitely use some additional pitching, as their starting rotation, aside from Sonny Gray, raises a few concerns. Christopher Hennessy of Clutch Points suggested that St. Louis could look to sign right-hander Max Scherzer to help strengthen their staff.
“Scherzer is not going to be taking innings away from anyone by signing with the Cardinals. They have Erick Fedde, Miles Mikolas, and Steven Matz all reaching free agency in 2026. Add Sonny Gray, who has two years left, and this is a very fickle pitching core,” Hennessy said.
“Scherzer may not be willing to go to the Cardinals as he looks to win another World Series. But if he dominates in the first half of the season, he would be a big trade deadline target for many teams. Signing in St Louis does not prevent him from reaching October again.”
The 40-year-old right-hander, who was originally drafted by St. Louis in 2003 before opting to attend the University of Missouri, is also a native of the St. Louis area.
Scherzer missed significant time last year with the Texas Rangers, posting a 2-4 record in just nine starts, though he managed a solid 3.95 ERA when healthy. Despite not being the dominant ace he once was, Scherzer brings three Cy Young awards, two World Series rings, and eight All-Star selections to the table, making him a potential asset to the Cardinals’ rotation.
Although he may not be the same pitcher he was in his prime, Scherzer could still help stabilize the rotation. The Cardinals might be better off signing him and giving the final two rotation spots to him and Michael McGreevy, rather than relying on Mikolas and Matz to fill those roles.
It’ll be interesting to see if St. Louis makes a move to bring him on board.
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