Somewhat by design and definitely due to opportunity, the Cardinals offseason has played out as if they were managing a game.
They started with starting pitchers and saw how deep that could get them. They signed three established, free-agent right-handers before Thanksgiving — beginning their shopping by addressing how they’ll begin games. As the calendar moves away from the holidays and the market stirs again, the Cardinals remain interested in adding more pitching.
At winter’s end, a focus remains on how they finish games.
The Cardinals have continued or resumed conversations with several free-agent relievers, seeking to add a late-game option from outside the organization before the start of spring training. John Mozeliak, the team’s president of baseball operations, said Thursday that “we are still following the free-agent market and hope to make an additional move.†He added that time remains on the club’s side. For a long time this offseason, so too did the options — but slowly, the pool of appealing relievers is draining.
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Two of the relievers who drew overtures from the Cardinals, Japan’s Yuki Matsui and Korea’s Woo-Suk Go, finalized deals recently with the San Diego Padres. Either could be the Padres’ closer by the end of the season. As part of his tour of potential teams, Matsui visited ºüÀêÊÓƵ, sources confirmed. The lefty agreed shortly after his visit to a five-year, $28 million deal with San Diego. The contract includes opt-outs for Matsui, who had 39 saves and a 1.57 ERA in Japan this past year, and if he becomes the Padres’ closer, there are raises built in for his salary, according to The Associated Press. Go, a year removed from 42 saves in the KBO, agreed to a two-year, $4.5 million deal with a club option.
For each pitcher, San Diego had the obvious geographic edge that West Coast clubs share, and at the start of the offseason, Mozeliak noted that “traditionally, I think a lot of players like to end up on the coasts when they come over.†He was asked if the dollars, role or some other sweetener could address that trend.
“I don’t know if you can change it dramatically,†he said.
The Cardinals’ policy is to not discuss specific free agents. Asked Thursday if he sensed geography played a part in the decision for available players from Japan and Korea, Mozeliak said that was “difficult to say.†He added it felt like factors were “dollars and years.â€
Where the Cardinals are looking for a deal appears to be somewhere close to the annual average value that Matsui reached or slightly less, according to descriptions from sources since December’s MLB winter meetings. The market still has relievers available at that price point.
The Cardinals have been one of the teams to explore signing right-hander Ryan Brasier after his breakout second half with the Dodgers. They are not alone; the veteran has drawn interest from a handful of contending teams, and that reportedly includes his most recent team. Brasier, 36, struggled with Boston at the start of the year to a 7.29 ERA in 20 games, and then LA signed him to a minor league deal. In 38â…” innings for the Dodgers, Brasier had a 0.70 ERA to go with 38 strikeouts. With the Red Sox, he threw 50% fastballs and exactly zero cutters. For LA, he threw 128 cutters and 26% fastballs.
The Cardinals have considered right-hander Phil Maton as an option, according to sources. Maton, who grew up in Illinois, is one of the younger relievers available, at 30, and is coming off a 3.00 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 66 innings for Houston. In his past 200 games, Maton has a 3.86 ERA and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings.
Maton is one of three relievers from Houston’s recent playoff runs who are free agents this winter. The other two are Ryne Stanek and Hector Neris. Stanek had 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings this past season, and Neris had a 10.1 strikeouts-per-nine rate. Neris, 34, declined an $8.5 million option for 2024 to become a free agent — and that gives some indication on the range of salaries being sought by relievers at his level.
The Cardinals are approaching the season with Ryan Helsley as their closer and Giovanny Gallegos and JoJo Romero as their right-left setup combo, respectively. Mozeliak has said they want to add to their late-inning choices, and throughout the past year, the Cardinals have stressed their wish to increase the bullpen’s strikeout rate. Cardinals relievers averaged 8.73 K/9 this past season — fifth-worst in the majors but just ahead of World Series clubs Texas and Arizona.
However, from July 1 through the end of the season, the Cardinals bullpen — thinned by injuries and then trades — had a league-worst 7.61 K/9.
“Yeah, as we look at the market for bullpen arms,†manager Oliver Marmol said a month ago, “our hope is to kind of get some guys that can miss some bats as well. We’ll see.â€
The Cardinals left winter meetings this past year still open to a reunion with right-hander Jordan Hicks, who is only 27. He saw a spike in strikeout rate with a 12.7 strikeouts-per-nine rate as a Cardinal before being traded in July to Toronto. He remains available as a free agent. Brent Suter, 34, is also available and drawing interest from several other teams jockeying with the Cardinals for relievers. He would offer a different look from the left side with fewer strikeouts (55 in 69â…“ innings) but comfort with a variety of roles and length to go with that 3.38 ERA he had with the Rockies.
Since the start of the offseason, the Cardinals have added three relievers from outside the organization to their 40-man roster and expect them to compete for big league innings. They kept a fourth, right-hander Wilking Rodriguez, by passing him through waivers and re-signing him to a minor league deal. In November, the Cardinals traded for right-hander Riley O’Brien, 28, because of his high-octane fastball and 14.1 K/9 at Class AAA. He had 86 strikeouts in 55 innings for Seattle’s top affiliate.
In December, the Cardinals acquired two relievers from Boston — Nick Robertson in the Tyler O’Neill trade and Ryan Fernandez via the Rule 5 draft. Robertson, 25, had a 12.2 K/9 in 42⅔ innings at Class AAA for LA and Boston. He struck out more (58) than he allowed base runners (47) but did not see the same success in 18 major league games. Fernandez, 25, had 11.1 K/9 in 26 minor league games and sports a wicked-good slider that has the whiff of more strikeouts.
Like many games, the Cardinals offseason will be shaped and graded by how it started, but by the end, the ultimate result could come down to the finishing touches.
What’s true for late innings is becoming true in this market.
It’s the question every manager faces trying to close out a win.
Who is available?