Cardinals Reportedly 'Contenders' To Land Rising Star Pitcher In Free Agency

St. Louis reportedly could be a landing spot for a former Red Sox and Tigers rising star

The St. Louis Cardinals have made it known that it will be very aggressive as it looks to improve the starting rotation.

St. Louis is one of a handful of teams who already have stated that it will be looking to land at least two starters in free agency. There is a deep class of pitchers to choose from, but the competition will be stiff so the Cardinals will have to act fast and spend big.

One player who reportedly could be a free agent option for the Cardinals to boost the rotation is Eduardo Rodríguez, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

"Eduardo Rodríguez could double the $49M he opted out of, and the Cardinals, (Boston Red Sox), and (Philadelphia Phillies) look like possible contenders there," Heyman said. 

Rodríguez would be a solid option for the Cardinals but would be more of a No. 2 starter as opposed to being an ace for the club. The Cardinals have been linked to other top-tier starters as well so it is certainly possible the club acquires multiple. Rodríguez is coming off the best season of his career as he compiled a career-best 3.30 ERA in 26 starts to go along with a 13-9 record. 

The Cardinals will have competition for Rodríguez's services if they opt to go that route, but do have the money to get a deal done. St. Louis needs to be bold this offseason. After winning just 71 games last year, this arguably is the most important offseason for the Cardinals in years. If St. Louis doesn't go big and improve the rotation, there could be more seasons like the 2023 campaign on the way.

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