Cardinals Named Possible Landing Spot for 31-Year-Old Pitcher

The Cardinals could use some pitching this winter.

Aug 28, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chaim Bloom, Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox on the field before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals have had a rough season in the pitching department. While their starting rotation has held serve, the bullpen has fallen flat. Still, they could use some more starting pitching depth as they look towards the 2027 season.

There will be some intriguing starting pitchers available in the offseason. It's safe to say that the Cardinals won't be in the mix for Tarik Skubal, but they can still find other ways to boost their rotation.

Mike Axisa of CBS Sports ranked the top 10 impending free agent players. Among them was right-hander Michael King, and he had the Cardinals as a possible landing spot.

For now, we'll assume King will go into the open market coming off a strong and healthy season," Axisa wrote. His five-pitch arsenal (sinker, four-seamer, sweeper, slider, changeup) and command suggest a graceful decline lies ahead, plus King is big-market and postseason battle-tested. He appeals to both old-school scouts and new-school analytic types. He also has a reputation for being an A+ clubhouse guy, which can only help."

Michael King as a fit for Cardinals

King is 10-9 with a 3.00 ERA, 144 strikeouts and a 4.2 WAR in 29 starts and 168 innings pitched. While it's probably going to be a while before St. Louis gets back to the postseason, King is somebody that can help make that happen sooner rather than later.

He's pitched on the big stage with both the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres and he is a proven commodity in those moments. He isn't an ace, but is somebody who can be considered a mid-rotation starter and can eat innings when needed.

He could potentially sign a short-term deal to join a mid-market team like the Cardinals and possibly be a trade candidate next year at the deadline if the lockout doesn't last too long.

King could bring back some solid young pieces for St. Louis, or he could potentially be the first stepping stone for the Cardinals to get back to where they want to be in the near future.

The future is brighter in St. Louis than it has been in several years, so it may soon be time for the Cardinals to get aggressive and take steps towards building a contending team, even if they're still a couple of years away from being true contenders.

It will be interesting to see what Chaim Bloom is thinking this offseason.

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