Cardinals Reportedly Have Interest In Pair Of International Stars To Bolster Bullpen

Could St. Louis get bullpen help overseas?

The St. Louis Cardinals have turned their focus towards retooling their bullpen after filling the missing holes in the rotation.

The Cardinals are in the market for a high-leverage hurler or two and could benefit from adding some much-needed depth.

With this year's pitching market being so competitive, the Cardinals are exploring international options to find weapons for next year's bullpen. 

"From the international free agent market (Yuki) Matsui and Go (Woo-suk) are both relievers the (Cardinals) have discussed," St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reported Tuesday.

Matsui posted a 2-3 record with a 1.57 ERA, 72-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 39 saves, and 0.89 WHIP in 57 1/3 innings pitched for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2023.

The left-handed Japanese star would be a great addition to the bullpen and may come in handy late in the game. Being able to switch from Matsui to right-handed pitcher Ryan Helsley to close out the game would be clutch.

Woo-suk recorded a 3-8 record with a 3.68 ERA, 59-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 1.36 WHIP in 44 innings pitched for the LG Twins last season.

The 25-year-old Korean pitcher would be a solid depth addition to St. Louis' bullpen. Despite having an average stat sheet, Woo-suk has shown promise and could provide the Cardinals with quality innings down the line.

Signing Matsui and Woo-suk could be cost-effective moves in adding bullpen depth and would allow the Cardinals to pursue a more expensive high-leverage arm on the market.

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