Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Dodged Bullet By Moving On From Recently Injured All-Star Hurler

It's a good thing St. Louis didn't re-sign the veteran pitcher this winter
Nate Hagerty|
Apr 21, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Andrew Kittredge (27) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers in the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images
Apr 21, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Andrew Kittredge (27) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers in the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

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The St. Louis Cardinals front office can't afford to continue making costly mistakes that'll haunt the franchise for years to come, as it has recently.

For instance, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak traded Gold Glove utility man Tommy Edman last summer in a lopsided three-team deal. The former homegrown star significantly helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win their 8th World Series title, resulting in him landing a five-year, $74 million contract extension.

Of the several St. Louis veterans who weren't re-signed this winter to help the franchise shed payroll, one recently suffered an unfortunate injury, proving Mozeliak wise in neglecting to return him to the bullpen in 2025.

"(Baltimore) Orioles right-hander Andrew Kittredge will miss multiple months for arthroscopic knee surgery of the cartilage," The Baltimore Banner's Andy Kostka reported Friday after it was announced Kittredge underwent a successful left knee debridement -- a process in which dead, damaged or infected tissue is removed from a wound.

Kittredge, who was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Cardinals last offseason, played a vital role in helping St. Louis have one of the most dominant bullpens in the National League last year.

With the Cardinals committed to their youth movement, re-signing the 34-year-old veteran, who became a free agent this winter, would've blocked opportunities for younger talent to gain big-league experience this upcoming season.

Considering that the Cardinals might already have a homegrown reliever worthy of replacing Kittredge in the back of the bullpen, it's a good thing Mozeliak didn't re-sign the All-Star pitcher, who landed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Orioles this offseason.

It's refreshing to realize Mozeliak made the right call by moving on from Kittredge. Not having his costly salary on the payroll has given St. Louis more financial flexibility and with his latest injury, the Cardinals dodged a bullet.

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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