The St. Louis Cardinals have boosted their bullpen depth by reaching an agreement with free-agent right-hander, according to sources who spoke with FanSided’s Robert Murray.
The full financial details of the deal have not yet been disclosed, and the signing is contingent upon Stanek passing a physical, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
A St. Louis native, Stanek is coming off a challenging 2025 season with the New York Mets. Across 65 outings, he recorded a 5.30 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP—both the highest marks of his career over a full season—while also posting a 4.40 FIP. He struck out 58 batters, issued 32 walks, and finished with a 5.1 walks-per-nine rate, his highest since 2022.
Despite the rough overall numbers, there were encouraging signs in Stanek’s performance. His fastball remained elite, averaging 98.5 mph and ranking in the 96th percentile across the league. He also graded above the 70th percentile in both chase rate and whiff rate. Additionally, his slider proved effective, limiting hitters to a .184 batting average and a .286 slugging percentage. Stanek also did a solid job keeping the ball in the park, surrendering only seven home runs in 56 innings.
As the Cardinals continue a rebuilding phase, they are likely hoping to help Stanek regain the dominant form he showed earlier in his career, potentially positioning him as a trade candidate at the deadline. He should have ample opportunity to earn late-inning work in a bullpen that includes Riley O’Brien, JoJo Romero, Matt Svanson, and others.
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom has prior familiarity with Stanek, having been part of the Tampa Bay Rays’ front office when the organization selected him in the 2012 MLB Draft.
Over parts of nine major league seasons with five different teams, Stanek has compiled a career 3.85 ERA, 4.17 FIP, and 1.32 WHIP, along with 532 strikeouts and 14 saves. Excluding the shortened 2020 season, he has appeared in at least 59 games every year since 2018.
