The St. Louis Cardinals need pitching help this winter, but that doesn’t mean every available arm should be on their radar. If the front office goes shopping in the middle or lower tiers of the market, there are a few names that look more like detours than solutions.
St. Louis is not expected to make a major splash.
The Cardinals are not in position to land someone like Tarik Skubal, Michael King or Robbie Ray. More realistically, they’re the kind of team that could turn to a shorter deal, similar to the Dustin May move from last offseason.
Even with that in mind, there are still pitchers - both starters and relievers - who probably shouldn’t be on the list.
Matt Strahm is one of them. A former All-Star, Strahm has worked almost entirely out of the bullpen over the last three seasons.
In 2023, he made 56 total appearances and even logged 10 starts, but over the last three seasons he didn’t make a single start. He was excellent in 2024, posting a 1.86 ERA in 66 outings for the Philadelphia Phillies, and he followed that with a 2.74 ERA in 66 appearances in 2025.
Then came 2026, when he pitched for the Kansas City Royals and fell all the way to a 7.32 ERA in 41 appearances over 35 2/3 innings. That was a new career-worst mark in any season with more than six appearances, and for a Cardinals team that needs bullpen help, Strahm simply doesn’t look like a sure thing.
Aaron Civale is another pitcher St. Louis should think twice about chasing.
He finished with a 4.20 ERA across 34 appearances between the Chicago Cubs and Athletics. With the Athletics, he struggled to a 5.42 ERA in 16 outings, 15 of them starts.
In the Cubs’ bullpen, he was much better, turning in a 1.72 ERA over 18 appearances. Civale has been steady for most of his career, and if the Cardinals signed him, they’d know what kind of baseline production to expect.
The problem is that there may not be enough ceiling there to justify the gamble.
The final name is familiar to St. Louis: Erick Fedde.
The Cardinals know him well after acquiring him from the Chicago White Sox in 2024, when he pitched well down the stretch. He also had a strong 2026 season for the White Sox, finishing with a 3.83 ERA in 33 appearances, including 15 starts.
But he also had a rough 2025 season, and that uneven track record is exactly why the Cardinals should be looking higher if they add another pitcher. If they’re going to spend, the upside needs to be better than this.
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