In the coming months, the St. Louis Cardinals are expected to be very active. In fact, according to club president Bill DeWitt III, that's the plan for the team: To be "aggressive" and "climb the rankings" in terms of payroll.
After a 71-91 finish, their worst since 1990, the Cardinals are going to go shopping for starting pitchers from outside the organization. This includes pitchers such as Aaron Nola and Sonny Gray.
It was mainly the pitching that sunk St. Louis in 2023, even though there were plenty of other issues bogging the team down. The most glaring hole was in the starting rotation.
Based on DeWitt's comments, the Cardinals intend for 2023 to just be a blip on the radar screen as they try to return to contention in 2024. That also means exponentially increasing the payroll from where it was in 2023.
The Cardinals' only big signing last offseason was that of Willson Contreras, but it couldn't save them from their shortcomings on the pitching side. However, if payroll is increasing, then one can expect the 11-time World Series champions to be bold and do things they haven't done in quite some time.
In this piece, we will be discussing three high-priced free agents the Cardinals should sign.
No. 1 Aaron Nola
Nola appears to be at the top of the Cardinals list this coming offseason, and with good reason.
He didn't have a very good regular season, posting a 4.46 ERA despite winning 12 games. However, he has been truly dominant this postseason. He gave the Phillies seven scoreless innings against the Marlins in the Wild Card Series and tossed 5.2 innings against the Braves in the NLDS.
Nola will now likely start Game 2 of the NLCS against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The 30-year-old would give the Cardinals a true ace, and somebody who can be trusted in postseason games. Nola also has had the Cardinals' number in recent years, dating back to 2021. It could turn out to be a classic case of "if you can't beat him, get him."
Having an ace or two would also put some fear into the rest of the teams in the National League. The Cardinals have the most World Series titles of any National League ballclub, and the time has come for them to show why that is once again.
Nola is 2-0 this postseason with a very impressive ERA of 1.42 over 12.2 innings in his two starts.
No. 2 Sonny Gray
Gray shouldn't cost the Cardinals too much given his age, but his 2023 season is a strong indication of the kind of pitcher they need.
The veteran right-hander won just eight games, as he was felled by a lack of run support. Still, he posted a 2.79 ERA in 32 starts. That's the second-best mark in the American League, and it should garner him some consideration for the Cy Young.
Again, given that Gray is going to be 34 years old by Opening Day in 2024, he may not cost as much as somebody like Nola. He'll be expensive for sure, but he could possibly be had on a shorter-term deal of 3-4 years, rather than a megadeal.
His showing in Game 3 of the ALDS against the defending World Series champion Houston Astros was poor, but he did give the Twins five shutout innings against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series, and nailed down the clinching victory as they won their first postseason series since 2002.
Like Nola, Gray is on the Cardinals' radar, and he would instantly qualify as one of, if not the ace of the staff if signed.
Josh Hader
While the starting rotation is the main issue for St. Louis, it is far from the only issue. The bullpen needs some help too. Fortunately, former division rival Josh Hader will be on the market.
Injuries claimed Giovanny Gallegos and Ryan Helsley this year, and adding Hader would give them their first surefire closer since the days of Jason Motte.
Hader is obviously quite familiar with the Cardinals, having spent the first seven years of his already impressive career with their NL Central rivals in the Milwaukee Brewers. He's familiar with the division and would return to a comfortable environment.
A couple of aces, another starter, and a true closer would give St. Louis a serious chance to compete for their first World Series title since 2011.
The veteran closer and All-Star pitched in 61 games in 2023, posting a microscopic ERA of 1.28 and earning 33 saves, bouncing back from a very difficult 2022 season.
Hader was quick to re-establish himself as one of the game's most dominant closers this year, and having him at the back of the bullpen along with JoJo Romero, Helsley, and Gallegos would be a huge plus for the Cards in 2024.