If there's one glaring hole on this St. Louis Cardinals roster, it's pitching. The reason this team performed so abysmally in 2023 was mainly because of how putrid their pitching was.
The Cardinals knew they'd be a little short on the pitching front, but didn't expect virtually everyone to have a down year. Guys like Adam Wainwright and Miles Mikolas were shells of themselves and after they traded Jordan Montgomery away, the rotation had virtually nobody left. The team went 71-91, missing the postseason and finishing in last place in the NL Central.
For the Cardinals to turn things around in 2024 they'll need to address the pitching. They won't buy an entire rotation but they'll need to make multiple additions to ensure that they're running out a competent starting staff. St. Louis could and should make a trade for a starter, but they're going to also have to spend in free agency. Fortunately, they're already linked to three different pitchers who should be difference makers in 2024 according to Katie Woo of The Athletic. This is a ranking of who the Cardinals are already targeting from worst to best.
3) Jordan Hicks
Jordan Hicks is a familiar name for every Cardinals fan as he was with them from 2018 through the first half of the 2023 season. His stint in St. Louis had some ups and downs as he battled through a plethora of injuries, but when healthy, Hicks can be lethal. We saw that this season as he was a rare bright spot in a brutal year.
The right-hander had a 3.67 ERA in 40 appearances for the Cardinals this season and even recorded eight saves in 11 tries with Ryan Helsley injured. He ended his Cardinals tenure pitching as well as he ever had, posting a 1.88 ERA in his final 26 appearances. His success made him one of the most sought after relievers on the market, and he ended up landing in Toronto.
Hicks continued his dominance north of the border as he posted a 2.63 ERA in 25 appearances as the team's primary set-up man. Hicks would be an excellent addition for St. Louis who reportedly wanted him on a multi-year extension before shipping him away, but the bullpen is nowhere near as big of a need for the team as the rotation. They still have Ryan Helsley and Giovanny Gallegos around along with other decent arms. Targeting the rotation is the most important thing for this franchise, although Hicks would still be a great addition.
2) Sonny Gray
Sonny Gray has been linked to the Cardinals multiple times already, and it's easy to see why. He won't break the bank like Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Aaron Nola, and it can be argued that at least for 2024, he can be more impactful.
The right-hander is coming off an excellent year with the Twins, posting a 2.79 ERA in 32 starts and 184 innings pitched. He finished second in the AL in ERA only behind Gerrit Cole, and can easily find himself finishing as a Cy Young finalist after finishing in the top 15 in both innings pitched and strikeouts.
He doesn't have the most overpowering stuff, but Gray has been a trustworthy frontline starter for most of his 11-year career, and this past season was arguably the best of them all. Gray is not only a proven regular season performer, but he has a 3.26 ERA in six postseason starts as well.
A big reason why Gray isn't the top dog on the free agency market is because of his age. He's going to be 34 when he signs his next deal, and that contract will presumably be for at least four years taking him to his late 30's. While age can be a concern, St. Louis is trying to win now with Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado still on the roster. It's a risk they can and should be taking.
1) Jordan Montgomery
Well would you look at that? Another former Cardinal. Jordan Montgomery is a player St. Louis believed in when they traded fan favorite Harrison Bader to the Yankees to acquire him, and he didn't let them down in the slightest.
The team needed pitching help in 2022 and he pitched like an ace for them down the stretch helping the Cardinals win the NL Central. He was the ace of the staff again in 2023 and once again, lived up to the billing. In 21 starts for the Cardinals this season, he posted a 3.42 ERA in 121 innings pitched. He was the lone bright spot in an abysmal rotation before being traded to the Rangers at the trade deadline.
All Montgomery did for the Rangers was continue to get better. His 2.79 ERA in 11 starts down the stretch helped them squeak into the postseason. He was their Game 1 starter when they got to the postseason, and in his three playoff starts the Rangers are 3-0 while Montgomery has a 2.08 ERA. He most recently shut out the Astros on the road in Game 1 of the ALCS through 6.1 innings.
Montgomery is establishing himself as a legitimate ace, and that's an obvious need for the Cardinals. The reasons I'd rank him above Gray are fairly simple. One, he's done it in St. Louis before. Two, he's three years younger than Gray and would command a similar deal.
The Cardinals really can't go wrong with either starter, and should honestly be doing whatever they can to land both. Adding Hicks as well would be icing on the cake for the Cardinals as they look to revamp this horrific pitching staff.