Cardinals Would Be Wise To Avoid Offering Michael McGreevy Long-Term Deal

The St. Louis Cardinals should be thinking about extensions, but not for Michael McGreevy yet.

Mar 28, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) reacts as he walks off the field after the third out against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

There has been a growing trend around Major League Baseball with young guys getting early contract extensions.

It's a good trend. While it increases short-term costs for a club, if you get a deal right, you save in the long-term. The biggest and best example for a club is Ronald Acuña Jr. with the Atlanta Braves. Acuña got an eight-year, $100 million deal all the way back in 2019. He was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2018. Since he got his deal, he has earned five All-Star nods and has been the NL Most Valuable Player as well. He's still just 28 years old. He has had some tough seasons due to injuries, but he's healthy now. The Braves certainly have done well on that deal.

We've seen the trend increase significantly over the last few years. Just over the last few weeks, a few guys who have gotten early extensions have been Konnor Griffin of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Colt Emerson of the Seattle Mariners and Cooper Pratt of the Milwaukee Brewers. For the St. Louis Cardinals, it should be getting an extension ready for JJ Wetherholt right now.

The Cardinals should wait before considering an extension

Mar 28, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

One guy the club should wait on, though, is young starting pitcher Michael McGreevy. The 25-year-old has been great to kick off the 2026 season. He has a 2.53 ERA through two starts. But he has seen decreased velocity so far this season.

An early long-term extension for a pitcher is more difficult than for a position player. Elbow injuries happen at a very high clip. With McGreevy, he should be a long-term fixture in this rotation. But he's already under team control through the 2031 season. What if an elbow injury pops up between now and then? Pitcher contracts are a bit more risky because of that fact.

It's not to say McGreevy shouldn't be a key piece for the club. He absolutely should. But the Cardinals should wait longer before entertaining the idea of a long-term extension, especially with him already dealing with a dip in velocity. It could be nothing.

But dips in velocity aren't ever a great sign. So, while the Cardinals should be thinking extension for guys like Wetherholt or Masyn Winn, it's a bit premature to be thinking in that direction for McGreevy. Lock up a few position players and then talk extension maybe next year.