Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Linked To 10-Year Veteran Starter In Free Agency

The St. Louis Cardinals should add another hurler...
Patrick McAvoy|
Apr 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles hat and glove sits in the dugout during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Apr 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles hat and glove sits in the dugout during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

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St. Louis CardinalsBaltimore Orioles

St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said early on in the offseason that the organization was going to be looking for pitching.

He certainly was telling the truth.

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St. Louis signed Dustin May and acquired Richard Fitts, Brandon Clarke, Hunter Dobbins, Yhoiker Fajardo, and Blake Aita in two separate trades with the Boston Red Sox. Despite adding a handful of arms already, Bloom didn't close the door on adding more. MLB.com's Andrew Simon put an intriguing idea out there: add Zach Eflin in free agency.

"SP Zach Eflin to the Cardinals -- The rebuild is happening, but St. Louis could use some veteran protection (and guidance) for a young rotation short on reliable options," Simon wrote.

Should the Cardinals make another move in free agency?

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin
Jul 23, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin (24) delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

Simon wrote up a column of the "perfect" fits for the top 14 remaining free agents with a few honorable mentions afterward. Eflin was in the honorable mention category.

Eflin is 31 years old and is a 10-year veteran. He spent the 2025 season with the Baltimore Orioles and had a 5.93 ERA in 14 starts. That's obviously not great, but there's upside with Eflin. In 2024, he had a 3.59 ERA in 28 total starts with the Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays. In 2023, he led the American League with 16 wins as a member of the Rays while logging a 3.50 ERA in 177 2/3 innings pitched.

The righty had a tough 2025 season, but it was a small sample size. He has a 3.97 ERA in 93 total appearances since 2022. That's why he would be a good fit for St. Louis. After a tough 2025 season, he's someone worth investing in a rebound -- like the club already has done with May. At just 31 years old, there's reason to believe he has plenty left in the tank. He's the perfect type of low-risk/high-reward player St. Louis should be investing in right now in free agency.

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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