Cardinals Hurler 'Candidate' To Get Cut By St. Louis After Lackluster Season

The St. Louis Cardinals are well aware of their lackluster pitching performance last season, both from the rotation and the bullpen.

Logically, it would be implied that a serious overhaul can be expected this winter. Additions to the team will be the biggest talking point but to do so, they have to free up some roster spots.

It appears that one veteran right-hander could become a casualty of the situation.

"Barnes is a candidate to be non-tendered," The Athletic's Katie Woo reported Monday. "(Jake) Woodford and (Dakota) Hudson are candidates as well, but to a lesser extent given the organization’s dire need for pitching depth, even at the Triple-A level."

Barnes posted a 5.93 ERA with an 8-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .316 batting average against and a 1.54 WHIP in just 13 2/3 innings with St. Louis.

The 33-year-old has a career 4.76 ERA with a 262-to-111 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .255 batting average against and 1.41 WHIP in 262 2/3 innings across 265 games since making his big-league debut in 2016.

Barnes is expected to make roughly $1 million in arbitration for next season according to MLB Trade Rumors. That would not encourage St. Louis to non-tender him but his play, both last season and over his career, should.

For the Cardinals to drastically improve, they need to shed some of the lower-level producers and make significant upgrades. The front office reportedly wants to add at least two high-leverage arms this winter and will need some 40-man roster spot room to do so.

More MLB: Here's What Three Ex-Cardinals Hurlers Are Projected To Earn In Free Agency

Published Nov 1, 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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