Cardinals Reportedly 'Feel Optimistic' They Can Land All-Star Hurler In Major Offseason Splash

St. Louis continues to be mentioned as a fit for a star hurler in free agency

The St. Louis Cardinals likely will end up being one of the most talked about teams in free agency this offseason.

St. Louis is a historic franchise, has money to spend, and after an abysmal 2023 season a real need to make a major splash. The Cardinals won just 71 games in 2023 thanks in large part to inconsistent play from the starting rotation. Sure, winning just 71 games means there were issues throughout the roster. But, the biggest struggles came from the rotation.

The Cardinals clearly know this and already have said they will be looking to add three hurlers into the mix this offseason. St. Louis already has been linked to multiple big-name hurlers and one who continues to be mentioned is Minnesota Twins star Sonny Gray. At this point, it's too early to know what will happen, but St. Louis reportedly feels "optimistic" about what it can offer Gray, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold.

"Clearly there are many scenarios in play because the Cardinals don't get to act unilaterally," Goold said. "There will be other teams involved. There will be choices made by the free agents themselves. They can feel optimistic today about what they can offer Sonny Gray but say the Twins go on a run, win a pennant, whatever, and then all of sudden maybe staying there is just so appealing that no team is going to woo the veteran away. But, yes, your scenario is as reasonable as the next. One qualifier: Not sure why you're worried about their financial flexibility. They need to change that equation."

Gray has been mentioned on multiple occasions as a fit for the Cardinals and it's not surprising to see why. The three-time All-Star was exceptional this year for Minnesota compiling a minuscule 2.79 ERA in 32 starts. He has a career 3.47 ERA in 11 big league seasons and could be just what St. Louis needs to stabilize the rotation. He likely will have a big market, but St. Louis seems to be among the favorites for his services.

More MLB: Cardinals Executive Reportedly Takes Intriguing Stance On Club's Offseason Plans