Ex-Yankees Hurler Floated As Possible Option For Cardinals To Improve Bullpen

Could the Cardinals land the former Yankees hurler this offseason?

The St. Louis Cardinals have made a plethora of moves this offseason.

St. Louis had one of the worst seasons in recent memory in 2023 and is attempting to prove that it was a fluke. The Cardinals have reloaded the roster and seem to be in a much better place.

The Cardinals have significantly improved the starting rotation, have added to the bullpen, and even have added more offensive depth by reuniting with three-time All-Star Matt Carpenter.

Although the club already is better, bringing in another relief pitcher could be a solid idea for the Cardinals.

Luckily for the club, there are some very interesting hurlers still available. One player who has been floated as a possible option for the Cardinals is former New York Yankees hurler Keynan Middleton by Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer. 

"The Cardinals got the three starting pitchers they wanted, and their reunion with Matt Carpenter is good for additional depth at DH in addition to being a fun story," Rymer said. "From my perspective, the Cardinals look pretty good for a team that just finished in last place. If anything, they might have turned themselves into the team to beat in the (National League) Central. At least until the (Chicago Cubs) do more, anyway.

"Yet as tempted as I was to leave this page blank, it was only last Monday that Katie Woo of The Athletic reported that the Cardinals are monitoring the relief market. They could use another right-hander, for which even a lesser target like (Shintaro Fujinami), Keynan Middleton, or Ryne Stanek would suffice."

Rymer compiled a list of the possible options for each big league club to help improve their club throughout the rest of the offseason. Middleton would be a very solid option for the Cardinals. 

Middleton compiled a 3.38 ERA last season in 51 total appearances with the Chicago White Sox and Yankees. He was most impressive down the stretch after being traded to New York and logged a 1.88 ERA in 12 appearances with a 17-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

St. Louis still has some money to spend and landing Middleton would make a lot of sense. 

More MLB: Cardinals Reportedly 'Open' To Making Another Addition; Could Signing Be On Way?