The Cardinals’ bullpen has a problem, and Lance Lynn thinks the answer might be hiding in a few bounce-back arms on the market.
On the Cardinal Territory podcast with Jim Hayes, the former St. Louis right-hander laid out three names he believes fit what the Cardinals need in the back end: Evan Phillips, Pete Fairbanks and Jose Alvarado. Kyle Gibson was part of the conversation too, but Lynn’s blueprint was clear - target relievers who could be had on prove-it deals and let the stuff do the talking.
Hayes kicked things off by mentioning Pete Fairbanks, and Lynn immediately connected the dots.
“I don’t think you’re gonna get David Bednar for cheap, but I like Pete Fairbanks, right? I think you might be able to get that guy, and he’s nasty when he’s right,” said Hayes.
“And you’re looking at a guy coming off surgery in Fairbanks where you might get him for a one-year prove-it deal,” Lynn replied. “That goes in with what I was thinking about Evan Phillips coming from LA.
He’s in his second year removed from surgery, and I think that he’s a guy who's perfect for that back end. Obviously a former teammate of mine, too, who fits what Dusty Blake and Oliver Marmol would be about in how they go about preparing and doing things like that.”
Lynn also made it clear that if the Cardinals are shopping for a lefty, he wants one who can handle pressure innings.
“And then I’m looking at lefties. If you’re looking at a lefty, in my opinion, you’re looking at a guy who can get you the seventh, eighth, or close-like a high-leverage guy.
It would be awesome if we could get JoJo Romero back. That would be huge not only for the rapport that he’s had in St.
Louis, but also just for that bullpen. But he might be too expensive, so I’m gonna go with, like, a Jose Alvardo that might be a prove-it deal for a lefty that has stuff, right?”
Lynn later noted that pitchers such as Ryan Yarbrough can help in their own way, but he sees them as different types of additions than the late-inning weapons the Cardinals need. He thinks the club can cover some bulk innings internally.
His final three were Phillips, Fairbanks and Alvarado.
Phillips, now 32, has spent most of his big league career with the Dodgers after debuting in 2018. Across 278 innings, he has a 3.37 ERA and 47 saves.
His peak came in 2022, when he posted a 1.14 ERA over 63 innings, then followed that up with 24 saves and a 2.05 ERA the next year after moving into the closer role. He throws a four-seamer, cutter, sweeper and sinker, and his fastball velocity climbed back up in 2026.
Alvarado, 31, is the former Phillies lefty who started his major league run with the Rays in 2017 before joining Philadelphia in 2021. His best season in Philly came in 2023, when he put up a 1.74 ERA in 41.1 innings.
But after a rough season, he’s in prove-it territory. At his best, he pairs a nasty sinker and cutter with a curveball and four-seam fastball.
His velocity remains strong, he doesn’t allow many hard-hit balls and he has impressive extension. The issue was ugly home results: an 8.16 ERA at home and a 36% groundball rate that made life hard in Philadelphia’s hitter-friendly park.
The idea is that Busch Stadium could help him in a way Philly couldn’t.
Fairbanks brings a different angle. The Missouri native pitched at Mizzou before being drafted, and like Alvarado, he faded badly in 2026.
He finished with a 6.31 ERA despite keeping his velocity, strikeout ability and whiffs intact. The problem was command.
He wasn’t getting ground balls, he was leaving pitches up and he walked too many hitters. Still, there’s a reason to believe in the arm: his career line includes a 3.61 ERA and 109 saves.
If he can find the strike zone again, the stuff should play.
Lynn’s list gives the Cardinals a few realistic routes to chase. Now it’s up to the front office to see whether any of those rebound bets become the next move for St. Louis.
In Other News...
Cardinals Suddenly Face One Offseason Problem They Can't Ignore
The Cardinals are heading into another winter with the attention shifting away from deadlines and toward the kind of roster repair work that can shape the next couple of seasons. After missing the postseason for the fourth straight year, St. Louis appears poised to lean more heavily on free agency than trades as it tries to patch obvious holes at third base, in the starting rotation and in the bullpen.
That makes the pitching side especially hard to ignore, because the clubs hopes of being more competitive in 2027 will depend on how much it can raise the floor of the staff. Internal options will get a look, but the front office is also expected to explore outside help, with names such as Dustin May and Shane Bieber in the mix as the Cardinals search for arms that can stabilize both the rotation and relief corps. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Face A Bullpen Decision That Could Frustrate Fans
The Cardinals have another offseason call to make on a bullpen arm, and it comes with a price tag that could push the organization toward a familiar kind of calculus. By Nov. 2, St. Louis has to decide whether to pick up veteran reliever Ryne Staneks $6 million club option for the 2027 season, a figure that sits squarely in the range of decisions that tend to test a front offices willingness to pay for reliability.
Stanek gave the Cardinals plenty of innings in 2026, working in 70 games and finishing with a 4.02 ERA after settling in following a rough opening stretch. Even so, the cost of bringing him back at the option number could make the club hesitate, especially if the belief is that he might return on a lower deal once the market resets. For a bullpen that will always be judged on both effectiveness and efficiency, this is the kind of move that can leave fans wondering whether the safe choice and the smart one are the same thing. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Head Into A Pivotal Offseason With Familiar Names At Risk
With the 2026 season in the books, the Cardinals are already shifting into a winter defined by hard choices and familiar names. Nolan Gorman, Ryan Stanek, Yadier Herrera and Juan Yepez are all among the players the front office may have to weigh against roster fit and future needs as St. Louis starts mapping out its 2027 plan.
The biggest pressure points are easy to spot: third base, catcher and designated hitter all loom as spots the Cardinals may want to address. That leaves this offseason with a familiar St. Louis feel, where the decisions are less about chasing new faces than deciding which current pieces still belong in the conversation and which ones could be moved on from. [Read more 🡒]