Why Cardinals Made A Mistake Not Signing Blue Jays 3x Cy Young

The Cardinals had their chances to sign the future Hall-of-Famer, but passed each time.

Mar 6, 2021; Dunedin, Florida, USA; A detailed view of the Toronto Blue Jays logo on a building at TD Ballpark during the spring training game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have been gradually declining over the past decade. Once a gold standard of the National League, the Cardinals have now suffered two losing seasons in the last three years.

Their downfall began after reaching the NLCS four straight years from 2011-14. Heading into the 2015 season, they had a chance to build a true World Series contender, and while they won 100 games, they lost the NLDS to the Chicago Cubs and have only won one playoff series since then.

They have now missed the postseason three years in a row. But there was one moment prior to 2015 that ultimately proved to be franchise altering.

Cardinals Blew Their Chance To Sign Future Hall-of-Famer

Apr 21, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

On Thursday, Max Scherzer pitched a gem to help the Toronto Blue Jays win Game 4 of the ALCS and tie the series. However, prior to 2015, he was a free agent, and the Cardinals had a chance to potentially sign him. Instead, they let him go to the Washington Nationals, where he won three Cy Young awards and a World Series title.

Scherzer, a St. Louis native was originally drafted by the Cardinals in 2003, but did not sign, instead choosing to play at the University of Missouri. But the Cardinals had a chance to bring him aboard in 2015 and ultimately passed on the opportunity.

While that alone didn't cause the Cardinals to collapse, not having that presence in their rotation when Adam Wainwright went through various elbow injuries a few years later certainly hurt them. Wainwright eventually recovered and regained his ace form, but having Scherzer for several years could have made the Cardinals an elite contender.

There was even another chance to sign Scherzer after the 2021 season, but the Cardinals passed yet again as the veteran right-hander signed with the New York Mets. These two missed opportunities to sign the future Hall-of-Famer are looked back at with disgust by Cardinals fans, who wanted their team to be an elite force for years to come.

Instead, they have watched their pitching staff and depth decline over the last several years, and all it may have taken to keep them in the postseason mix, even with the decline of their player development system, was one ace pitcher to lead the staff.

He is a free agent again this offseason, but he'll likely prefer to sign with a contender.

More MLB: Why Mike Shildt Drama Shows More Positives With Cardinals Current Skipper