The Cardinals’ focus may be on the 2026 season right now, but Chaim Bloom’s bigger job is staring further down the road. And one of the clearest needs on that horizon is the starting rotation.
That’s why CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa connected St. Louis to a potential free-agent fit in Michael King of the San Diego Padres. The idea only becomes real if King opts out of his $75M three-year deal, but if he does, the Cardinals could be in the mix.
Axisa pointed to the full package King brings to the table, writing, "His five-pitch arsenal (sinker, four-seamer, sweeper, slider, changeup) and command suggest a graceful decline lies ahead, plus King is big-market and postseason battle-tested," Axisa writes. "... Super early possible landing spots: Astros, Cardinals."
King’s profile makes sense for a club looking for rotation help without chasing a pitcher who feels like a short-term gamble. He’s the kind of veteran starter who should still give quality innings even if some regression comes with age. The expectation isn’t that he’ll stay exactly the same forever, but rather that any downturn would be manageable instead of a hard crash.
This season, King has posted a 3.00 ERA for San Diego. He would also need to hit the market in the first place, since he has a player option for 2027. If he does opt out, the price tag would likely climb well above $25 million per year, which is his current average annual value.
It’s still early, and there’s no way to know what King will choose or how aggressive St. Louis would be at that salary for a 31-year-old starter. But if the Cardinals decide they want a veteran arm to anchor the group, King looks like a very strong candidate.
In Other News...
Cardinals Are Learning Two Very Different Things About Their Young Outfielders
The Cardinals spent the final month of the season getting a better look at two young pieces they hope will matter in the near future, and the early read has already been different for each. Thomas Saggese has settled in well since his promotion, putting together a series of successful swings and giving the club something to consider as it sorts out the infield picture. Victor Scott, meanwhile, has brought a different kind of evaluation into focus as the team weighs what his role could be in St. Louis.
Scotts opportunities have been limited, but the Cardinals have still learned enough to keep his development front and center. His athleticism remains part of the appeal, yet his baserunning choices have also shown how much more there is to sort through before the roster puzzle is complete. For a club looking ahead to next season, the contrast between the two young outfielders is useful, because it gives St. Louis a clearer sense of where the immediate help may be coming from and where the bigger questions still remain. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Get A Crucial Return As Another Roster Squeeze Looms
JJ Wetherholt is expected back in the Cardinals lineup during the upcoming home stand after working through wrist tendinitis, a welcome development for a club still trying to claw its way back toward relevance. For a team sitting below .500, getting a useful bat back in the mix matters, especially when every healthy day on the roster feels more important than the last.
The catch is that St. Louis will have to clear a spot to activate him, and the roster math has already started to tighten. Ramn Uras is the most likely player to be moved, leaving the Cardinals with another decision that underscores how little margin for error they have as the playoff picture gets tougher to chase. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Prospect Brandon Clarke Is Starting To Look Like A Real Option
Brandon Clarkes rise through the Cardinals system has taken another step, with the 23-year-old left-hander moving from High-A Peoria to Double-A Springfield. St. Louis acquired Clarke in a trade with the Red Sox, and he has spent this season making a convincing case that he belongs on a faster track, pairing a 3.86 ERA with a strikeout-to-walk ratio that has stood out inside the organization.
The promotion came as part of a broader roster move that also involved Nate Dohm, but Clarke is the name that matters most for the Cardinals pitching depth right now. Double-A will offer a clearer test of how real the gains are, and it will be the next place to see whether the progress he has shown can keep translating against a tougher level of hitters. [Read more 🡒]