Cardinals Reportedly Could Land Veteran Hurler From Rival Cubs This Offseason
The St. Louis Cardinals' starting rotation is going to receive a complete overhaul this offseason.
St. Louis traded away Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty ahead of the 2023 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline and longtime hurler Adam Wainwright officially retired. The Cardinals will need to fill three spots in the rotation and already have said they plan to do so.
The Cardinals hopefully will land a top-of-the-rotation arm like Minnesota Twins ace Sonny Gray or Philadelphia Phillies star Aaron Nola, but likely will need to land a No. 3 or No. 4 arm, as well. One player the Cardinals are considered among the best fits for is Chicago Cubs hurler Kyle Hendricks, according to The Athletic's Jim Bowden.
"Kyle Hendricks had a solid bounce-back year, posting a 3.74 ERA over 24 starts and yielding 138 hits in 137 innings," Bowden said. "Opponents hit just .189 against his changeup, his best pitch. The pitch is so good that his offseason run value ranked in the 98th percentile. His ground-ball rate of 46.3 percent was his best in three years. He pitched well away from Wrigley Field, posting a 3.29 ERA in 11 road starts. The Cubs hold a $16.5 million team option for 2024.
"Best fits: Cubs, Cardinals, (Los Angeles Dodgers), and (San Francisco Giants). Contract prediction: two years, $25 million."
Hendricks would be an intriguing hurler to add into the mix. He has a career 3.48 ERA and would be a great No. 3 option for St. Louis. He compiled a 3.74 ERA across 24 starts in 2023 for the Cubs and was impressive. He is just 33 years old and would be extremely affordable if St. Louis could land him on the deal Bodwen projected.
It's too early to tell, but Hendricks clearly would be an upgrade for the Cardinals. Free agency is right around the corner and rumors are sure to pick up.
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