Inside The Cardinals

Full Details Behind Cardinals, Ryne Stanek Deal Look Like Steal

The St. Louis Cardinals made another great move...
Patrick McAvoy|
Jul 3, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Ryne Stanek (55) reacts during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jul 3, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Ryne Stanek (55) reacts during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals agreed to terms on a deal with veteran reliever Ryne Stanek on Friday and the full details were reported on Saturday and they look very positive for the organization.

On Saturday, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported that Stanek will make $3.5 million with the Cardinals in 2026 and there is a $6 million club option in the deal.

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"Ryne Stanek’s deal with the Cardinals is for $3.5 million with a $6 million club option for 2027, per source," Feinsand wrote.

The Cardinals made a phenomenal move

New York Mets pitcher Ryne Stanek
Aug 25, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Ryne Stanek (55) reacts to the crowd after getting the third out in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The 34-year-old is a talented hurler. He boasts one of the best fastballs in the game and was in the 96th percentile in fastball velocity in 2025. There are a lot of players across Major League Baseball and down in the minors. Having someone who is elite in an area of the sport is positive in itself. The Cardinals now have someone with a legit elite fastball for just $3.5 million. This is a guy with a 3.85 career ERA in 466 big league appearances. He had a tough 2025 season, but the $3.5 million price tag is phenomenal.

A $6 million club option also is a steal. If he does well in 2026, he very well could be worth more than the $6 million in 2027 and the club will have the opportunity keep him around if they see fit. Also, that makes him even more valuable if the club decides to look at the trade market this summer. If a team is looking for relief help this upcoming summer, with the club option, a team could get more than just a rental, which would raise his trade price tag, if the club opted to dangle him in talks.

The details behind the deal are an absolute win for St. Louis. He's cheap with upside in 2026. If all goes well, the club either has an easy chance to keep him around next year or flip him to a team looking for more than just a few months of work.

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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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