Astros Hurler Reportedly Could Be Available; Would Be Perfect Fit For Cardinals

Could the St. Louis Cardinals bolster their pitching staff with a versatile right-hander who could add depth to both the rotation and bullpen?

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak appears to be fairly content with his group of starting pitchers but is open to the idea of trading for another rotation piece if they fit. He's also said that he'd be more likely to pursue relief help through the free-agent market.

Well, there is an option that could become available who bridges the gap between both roles.

The Houston Astros could look to shed some salary according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal on Friday. Among the names listed to potentially be moved by Rosenthal was José Urquidy, who is projected to be owed $3.5 million next season and is under team control for two more seasons. Rosenthal noted that the Astros have attempted to trade Urquidy in the past, furthering the likelihood of his availability this winter.

The 28-year-old posted a career-high 5.29 ERA in 63 innings across 10 starts and six relief appearances last season but has been much better over the course of his career.

Urquidy posted a career 3.74 ERA (110 ERA+) with a 20.3% strikeout rate, 5.2% walk rate, .233 batting average against and 1.09 WHIP in 342 innings entering the 2023 season.

The right-hander could be a perfect swingman for the Cardinals, someone who could provide a spot start if injuries occur or serve as a multi-inning reliever with a fully-stocked rotation.

If the Cardinals could acquire a player who bridges the gap between the starters and the high-leverage options on the roster, they'd be able to lock down leads all season long.

It would make a lot of sense to acquire a versatile swingman to bolster the pitching staff as a whole entering the 2024 season.

St. Louis should inquire about Urquidy, possibly offering a player from their outfield depth such as Alec Burleson. He'd classify as an ultimate buy-low candidate after the worst year of his career.

More MLB: Marlins Frontline Starters Available; Cardinals Are Logical Trade Partners

Published Dec 15, 2023

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the St. Louis Cardinals for FanNation's "Inside The Cardinals" on Sports Illustrated. Before starting "Inside The Cardinals", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join FanNation and the Sports Illustrated Media Group as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." After a few months as the top Major League Baseball site in the program, Neville sought expansion and pitched "Inside The Cardinals," one of the newest additions to FanNation and the Sports Illustrated Media Group. The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Cardinals" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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