Cardinals Must Sign Ex-Dodgers Flamethrower Right Now

The St. Louis Cardinals have some elite, young talent in the organization right now.

So much so that the club has been able to outperform expectations to kick off the 2026 season. Through 15 games, the Cardinals are 8-7 and just one game behind the Pittsburgh Pirates for the top spot in the National League Central. This start is sustainable. Michael McGreevy and Matthew Liberatore look like stars at the top of the starting rotation. Jordan Walker, Victor Scott II, JJ Wetherholt and Alec Burleson have all been solid so far this season. While the club as a whole has overperformed, St. Louis hasn't even gotten a lot of production out of Iván Herrera, Masyn Winn and Nolan Gorman yet, although that should change.

The Cardinals should be operating with two thoughts right now. They should be trying to win as many games as possible, of course. But just in case things take a turn, St. Louis should already be thinking about ways to maximize the addition of even more prospects throughout the season. The trade deadline is going to come in August. It's a long time away now, but it will come up quickly. For the Cardinals, they should absolutely try to win as many games as possible, but let's not forget that this season is also about development. If the wheels fall off in the standings at some point, then identifying guys to flip for prospects will be important.

The Cardinals Should Go Sign Michael Kopech

Sep 10, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Michael Kopech (45) deivers during the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

With both of those things in mind, the Cardinals should call former Los Angeles Dodgers flamethrower Michael Kopech in free agency right now and try to get a deal done. Kopech is out there in free agency and the club arguably should've signed him even earlier in the offseason. But right now, a move would make sense even more.

The Cardinals' bullpen has fallen flat this season. St. Louis currently is ranked 25th in the league with a 5.31 bullpen ERA. Kopech had a 2.45 ERA in 14 appearances for the Dodgers in 2025. Overall, he has a 4.14 ERA in 184 total appearances in the majors with Los Angeles and the Chicago White Sox.

If the Cardinals were to sign someone like Kopech, they would land a guy with one of the best fastballs in the game. He would add another dynamic layer to a bullpen that needs a boost. He's also just 29 years old so if things don't work out in the standings, he would be a prime trade chip this summer.

The Cardinals need a boost in the bullpen. If they go after Kopech, it would help solve the problem.