Ex-Cardinals Reliever Available After Strong Season; Reunion Would Make Sense

St. Louis still is looking to add

Scott Neville | Jan 8, 2024

Ex-Cardinals Reliever Available After Strong Season; Reunion Would Make Sense /

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St. Louis Cardinals

Could the St. Louis Cardinals turn to a former first-round pick who hasn't played for the organization since 2010 to shore up the bullpen for the 2024 season?

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak reportedly aimed to add two high-leverage options to the bullpen this winter. The acquisition of right-hander Andrew Kittredge from the Tampa Bay Rays fills one of the aforementioned voids, leaving one vacancy.

There are plenty of targets St. Louis should have interest in, including Matt Moore and Phil Maton -- both of whom have been rumored Cardinals targets. However, there is one homegrown hurler who fits the description of what they are seeking.

Right-hander Adam Ottavino reached free agency this winter after declining a one-year, $6.75 million player option from the New York Mets.

The 38-year-old posted a 3.21 ERA with a 62-to-29 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .208 batting average against and a 1.22 WHIP in 61 2/3 innings last season. Ottavino also converted 12-of-15 save opportunities. That kind of experience comes in handy during a 162-game season despite not being deemed the team's closer on Opening Day.

Ottavino was the Cardinals' first-round pick in the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft (No. 30 overall) and made his big-league debut for St. Louis. Many likely forget his contributions, as he only appeared in five games for the Cardinals before first suffering an arm injury and then being placed on waivers.

The Colorado Rockies claimed the once-hyped prospect, converted him into a bullpen asset and helped launch what has become a 13-year career -- amassing a 3.42 ERA across 664 appearances.

The Cardinals could use an impactful and affordable reliever such as Ottavino, who could look to end his career where it began.

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Published Jan 8, 2024

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the St. Louis Cardinals for FanNation's "Inside The Cardinals" on Sports Illustrated. Before starting "Inside The Cardinals", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join FanNation and the Sports Illustrated Media Group as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." After a few months as the top Major League Baseball site in the program, Neville sought expansion and pitched "Inside The Cardinals," one of the newest additions to FanNation and the Sports Illustrated Media Group. The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Cardinals" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu