$63 Million Proposal To Get Cardinals Back To Playoffs In 2025

St. Louis could still make the playoffs even if it trims payroll

Oct 16, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; rows a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino (40) thin the second inning during game three of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images

It's unclear what the St. Louis Cardinals will look like in 2025.

It will be a transition year with Chaim Bloom already announced to take over the president of baseball operations role after the season ends. While this is the case, St. Louis likely could cut payroll and still find a way back to the playoffs if they are strategic in free agency.

It seems all but certain at this point that the Cardinals are going to let first baseman Paul Goldschmidt walk. St. Louis also has club options on Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn and could decline both. There are other players the club could part ways with as well to get the payroll lower.

But the Cardinals still should add in free agency this winter somewhat. The Cardinals finished above .500 in 2024 despite a plethora of issues. St. Louis was well in the playoff race for a while before struggles in the second half.

There are ways the club can subtract some players, add some in free agency, and be a playoff team in 2025. If the Cardinals were to let Goldschmidt, Lynn, and Gibson go in free agency, targets that could help are New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino, New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo, and Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Lorenzen.

Replacing Lynn and Gibson with Severino and Lorenzen would be an upgrade. Severino would be more expensive with a contract projection of $46 million over three years, but he has All-Star upside and is just 30 years old. He logged a 3.91 ERA with the Mets this season in 31 starts.

Lorenzen is projected to get just $13 million over two years and is just 32 years old. He was great for the Texas Rangers and Royals in 2024, with a 3.31 ERA across 26 starts.

Rizzo would replace Goldschmidt in this scenario. He is projected to get just over $4 million in free agency over two years after injuries impacted him over the last two seasons if the Yankees decline his option, which is likely. Rizzo is the biggest question mark of the three, but when he was last fully healthy in 2022, he had 32 home runs and 75 RBIs. He seemed on track to put up similar numbers in 2023 before injuries plagued him.

It seems like he could put up similar numbers to Goldschmidt at his point in his career at a fraction of the cost while still providing a valuable voice in the clubhouse.

If the Cardinals signed all three of these players, the projected total for the deals would be roughly $63 million. St. Louis, in this scenario, would part ways with Goldschmidt, Lynn, and Gibson. Also, the Cardinals would keep players like Nolan Arenado, Sony Gray, and Willson Contreras.

St. Louis' rotation would be better, and first base could be better at a lower cost. Maybe it would work.

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