Cardinals Advised To Poach Projected $8.8 Million Pitcher From Phillies

The Cardinals need to make a move

May 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Philadelphia Phillies hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Will the St. Louis Cardinals add any pieces to the organization this offseason?

They certainly should, but there's no way to know if they will.

The National League Central division is up for grabs. The Milwaukee Brewers lost both Devin Williams and Willy Adames already this offseason and haven't shown that they are willing to make a big investment. The Chicago Cubs have made a few moves, including the acquisition of Kyle Tucker, but also traded away Cody Bellinger. Chicago is better than it was, but not by much. The Pittsburgh Pirates have made a few solid, small moves. The Cincinnati Reds haven't done much yet.

St. Louis realistically could be competitive in the division but it also hasn't done much throughout the offseason to this point.

There still are players who could help the Cardinals while they still attempt to trim down the payroll. One player who was floated as a fit is former Philadelphia Phillies hurler Spencer Turnbull by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold.

"At the end of April this past season, Turnbull was 2-0 with a 1.67 ERA in six starts for the Phillies," Goold said. "Five of the starts went at least five innings, opponents were batting .148 against him, and he had 36 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings. His next 10 appearances were all relief and went fine before lat strain in June abruptly ended his season. That’s the trend. Turnbull hasn’t thrown more than 60 innings in the majors since his rookie season when he made 30 starts and lost 17 for Detroit...

"Turnbull’s next 100-inning season will be the second of his career, and the Cardinals don’t appear to be in the market of promising innings to pitchers who are looking to re-establish themselves as starters. But they are in need of insurance for the rotation, especially if they make a trade that opens up two spots in the rotation for youths. For a swingman, there inevitably will be innings available and Turnbull has been good when healthy, and if not healthy there’s another spot for youth to fill in."

This is a great idea. Turnbull is 32 years old and is projected to get a two-year, $8.8 million deal this offseason. That type of deal would be extremely affordable but also provide the Cardinals with a player who could help in either key area. This is the type of move the Cardinals should make as fast as possible.

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