The St. Louis Cardinals got more out of their rotation than many expected in a rebuilding year, but there still looks to be one opening to fill before next season.
That’s the spot the Cardinals may attack this offseason. The club’s emphasis was on player development, and the payoff has shown up in the young core, with Jordan Walker, JJ Wetherholt and Riley O’Brien all part of a brighter-looking future. On the mound, the rotation has mostly settled in, but not completely.
St. Louis finished with a 4.17 ERA from its starting staff, good for 12th in the league.
Kyle Leahy was a big part of that surprise after the Cardinals moved him into the rotation. The 29-year-old delivered a 10-5 record with a 3.66 ERA and 132 strikeouts across 30 starts.
Andre Pallante, Michael McGreevy and rookie Quinn Matthews also give the Cardinals a base to work from, though Hunter Dobbins’ injury and Matthew Liberatore’s struggles leave the last rotation spot unsettled.
According to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, the Cardinals would “love” to add a reliable starter this winter. Tarik Skubal sits atop the free-agent board, but there’s little reason to think St.
Louis will make a serious run at him. The more realistic names are Shane Bieber, Eric Lauer and Brandon Woodruff.
Bieber would bring the biggest pedigree. The 31-year-old is a two-time All-Star and a former Cy Young Award winner, and when he’s been healthy, he’s been excellent, carrying a 3.31 career ERA.
Injuries have interrupted his recent seasons, but that kind of track record still makes him one of the most appealing arms available. For a Cardinals staff that already has Leahy in just his first year as a starter, Bieber would give them a proven veteran to help anchor the group.
Lauer offers a different kind of fit. After a strong 2025 season in which he went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 28 games, including 15 starts, he slipped back a bit, but the upside remains.
He’s worked both as a starter and out of the bullpen, which gives St. Louis some flexibility.
If the Cardinals need depth now and a movable piece later, Lauer makes sense, especially with Liberatore’s season going the wrong way. If one of the organization’s top prospects gets the call during the year, Lauer could slide into relief.
Woodruff might be the most intriguing gamble of the group. The 33-year-old has also dealt with injuries over the last few seasons, and his value took a hit after another significant absence this year.
He was on a $22 million qualifying offer from the Milwaukee Brewers, but a long-term deal seems unlikely. That opens the door for a short-term prove-it contract, which could work well for both sides.
Woodruff owns a 3.10 career ERA, and with so many pitching prospects close to the majors, St. Louis could use a veteran on a one-year deal.
If he stays healthy, the Cardinals could even flip him at the trade deadline for a return bigger than the one they got for Dustin May.
Chaim Bloom knows this team is not yet built to chase the league’s best clubs, but that also makes St. Louis a logical landing spot for a pitcher looking to rebuild value. However it shakes out, the Cardinals are expected to add another starter before next season.
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Cardinals Still Have One Lineup Question That Could Define 2027
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Baez may be the best long-term answer, but his current minor league level makes him an unlikely Opening Day solution. Jordan, coming off a promising rookie season in 2026, looks like the most natural candidate to step in, while Gormans recent dip has made a return to third less appealing. However it plays out, this is one of the clearer decisions on paper that could still end up defining how the Cardinals build around the position next spring. [Read more 🡒]