Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Showing Interest In Signing Phenom To Give Rotation Major Boost

It sounds like the Cardinals already are looking for ways to improve the rotation even more
Patrick McAvoy|
Jul 7, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; A bag of baseballs sits in the Toronto Blue Jays dugout before the game Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 7, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; A bag of baseballs sits in the Toronto Blue Jays dugout before the game Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports | David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are starting to look like the team many expected them to be.

St. Louis had a dreadful start to the 2024 season but has turned things around in a major way of late. The Cardinals have won five games in a row and seven of their last eight. St. Louis currently is 25-26 and now is just 4 1/2 games behind the National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.

One of the biggest reasons why the Cardinals have started to turn things around this season is the fact that their starting rotation has taken a step forward from last season. The Cardinals were busy this past offseason looking for ways to boost the rotation and it sounds like the club already is thinking of more ways to help the rotation even more so heading into 2025.

Chiba Lotte Marines ace Rōki Sasaki could be posted this upcoming offseason and is expected to create a major frenzy. He possibly will be even more sought after than Los Angeles Dodgers hurler Yoshinobu Yamamoto and St. Louis already has started scouting him, according to MLB Trade Rumors' Nick Deeds.

"If Sasaki were to be posted this winter, he would join a 2024-25 free agent class that figures to be exceptionally deep in starting pitching talent with Walker Buehler, Max Fried, and Corbin Burnes among the front-of-the-rotation talents expected to be available," Deeds said. "Previously reported rumblings among executives seem to indicate that the general expectation within the game is that Sasaki is most likely to sign with the Dodgers, though that appears to be nothing more than speculation at this point.

"After all, teams would enjoy a much more even financial playing field in bidding for his services this winter than one would typically associate with a free agent of his caliber thanks to the aforementioned spending restrictions regarding players posted before the age of 25. The Dodgers are joined by the (New York Yankees), (New York Mets), Cardinals, and (Texas Rangers) among teams that have reportedly already begun to scout Sasaki’s NPB starts this season."

Sasaki is just 22 years old and has a career 1.94 ERA in four professional seasons. Landing him could be exactly what the Cardinals need if he ends up being posted.

More MLB: Former Cardinals All-Star Mentioned As Option For Padres After Strong Start

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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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