What free agent pitchers may Cardinals target this winter ?

[PadsFS07]

I think they’ll get Bassitt and Mahle

[earp]

Martin Perez
Andrew Heaney
Nick Martinez
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[redbirdfan51]

I think Bloom would sign someone in the Kelly range and maybe a flier on Buehlor or May. That could allow him to focus on prospect returns in any trades.

Johnny bow ties would be scouring the earth for some rotten fruit reject. Or attempting to lure Kurt Kepshire out of retirement.

Add Kelly or May and then sign Gallen or just take all 3. They will probably add a relief pitcher into the mix.

[JuanAgosto]

I think Bloom would sign someone in the Kelly range and maybe a flier on Buehlor or May. That could allow him to focus on prospect returns in any trades.

Johnny bow ties would be scouring the earth for some rotten fruit reject. Or attempting to lure Kurt Kepshire out of retirement.

Add Kelly or May and then sign Gallen or just take all 3. They will probably add a relief pitcher into the mix.

I could see that happening with Kelly and May. I don't see them spending for Gallen.

[12xu]

IF he decides to pitch again in '26, I predict Max Scherzer will sign with his hometown team for one season. Bloom will make a lot of fans excited with just this one move. I also look for Bloom to sign one of the following on one year "pillow" deals: Jordan Montgomery, Merrill Kelly, Walker Buehler, Tyler Mahle, or Chris Bassitt.

I believe the Cardinals will trade Sonny Gray, and so the '26 rotation will consist of Scherzer, one of the 5 mentioned above, McGreevy, Liberatore, and either Leahy or Mathews.

[VegasVinny]

I think they’ll get Bassitt and Mahle

That would far exceed my expectations. Those might have been additions this team would have made a few years ago. In 2026? Not so much.

I apologize in advance for being too lazy to search the transcript from last week, but the names I remember Goold mentioning in his response to this question were Nick Martinez, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Kyle Freeland. Maybe a Jordan Montgomery reunion?

The club will look for one-year deals as they're banking on a work stoppage in '27.

[YNWA2016]

basically, all the non-top free agent pitchers who cost the most money

[renostl]

It will be interesting to see if …
Gray is traded
Pallante is given another year to start
Leahy is given the opportunity to start
It looks like the only SP that are locks for the 2026 rotation from last year are Libby and McGreevy. Combine that with ownership that is not wanting to spend money and it could be an ugly season.

It is an interesting point.
In the Gray contract being so backloaded money needs to be added to bring back quality
verses the one and done when they just will need to go get another pitcher to replace SG.

In Blooms words he wants to compete and there's no short cuts.
I might think that doesn't mean band aides for issues.

Cards spent

$25 million for SG
$18 for MM
$12 for SM
$7 for EF for $62 million. They essentially owe Gray $40 million. The issue can be that SG isn't 2 pitchers.
Can paying $15 million of Grays contract allow for them to still go forward with his $25 million saved
and the $37 million that fell of the books plus gain a prospect??

I kind of believe that a pitcher or 2 may come in trade. IF they only use $40-$45 million of what they used
used in 2025 it is possible to filet that around without getting nothing but band aide pitchers. They'd
still get the bonus of saving the $15 million spent on Gray in 2026 coming off the books in 2027
and with good judgement and a little luck would have acquired more options.

[cardinalsfan27]

I saw someone in another thread mention John Means.

I could see two of Means, Quintana, Zack Littell, Michael Lorenzen, Dustin May or Walker Buehler.

[Youboughtit]

Only criteria should be high strikeout pitchers under 30 years old