The Free Agency Signing the Cardinals Should Be Quietly Celebrating

This move is paying off for St. Louis

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

The St. Louis Cardinals have been playing well to start the 2026 season. At 21-14, they are only 2 1/2 games back of first place in the National League Central, which is a surprise given that they have chosen to begin a rebuild.

However, just because they're rebuilding doesn't mean that they were going to sit back idly and not try to make some improvements. They still added a few free agents in the offseason to bolster their roster.

The one that appears to be paying off the most is right-hander Dustin May. After his first full season since 2019, the Cardinals signed him to a one-year, $12.5 million contract. This is the move that they should be quietly celebrating.

Dustin May's impact

May 1, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dustin May (3) poses for a photo with his 2025 World Series ring gifted to him by his former team the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to their game at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

The 28-year-old right-hander spent the 2025 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, going 7-11 with a 4.96 ERA. After two rough starts to begin the season, May has turned things around.

He still owns a 5.15 ERA, but has allowed three runs or less in each start since April 4 and has gone 3-1 in that span. With Sonny Gray gone, the Cardinals needed a veteran to carry the load and lead the rotation, and May was who president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom ultimately chose to carry the torch.

The 28-year-old right-hander has been exactly what the Cardinals have needed him to be since his rough start in April, and he is somebody that could help them continue to be better than expected. However, another possibility is that the Cardinals could trade him at the deadline and bring back some solid prospects.

He is on an expiring contract, and rental pitching comes in high demand at the trade deadline. The Cardinals roster is set up perfectly for them to be quick sellers if they cannot stay in contention, and May would likely be their top trade candidate if that is what they decide to do.

There is a lot to like about how he has pitched lately, even if the ERA doesn't reflect it fully. It can't hurt for the Cardinals to at least put him on the market and see what they can get for him.

A contender will likely show interest in him, so it would make sense for the Cardinals to go ahead and field that interest, as teams will be willing to overpay for him. We'll see how things shake out in July.