Cardinals Could Potentially Boost Rotation With Veteran Looking To Make Comeback

St. Louis needs all the help it can get

Aug 7, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of Busch Stadium during the third inning of a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Yankees. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals are 4-4 since the trade deadline ended and will need all the help they can get to compete for a National League Wild Card spot.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak wisely negotiated a three-team trade before the deadline to land Erick Fedde -- a veteran starting pitcher who made his triumphant return to the league this season after spending 2023 playing in Korea.

Although Fedde should certainly help carve out a few extra wins for St. Louis, there's still plenty of room for improvement in the rotation. Luckily, there might be an opportunity to boost the Cardinals' arsenal as a former journeyman looks to make a return to the show.

"Free-agent pitcher Rich Hill is throwing for interested teams on Friday, Aug. 9, at 10 a.m. at Champion Physical Therapy and Performance in Waltham, Mass., a source familiar with the throwing session said," Fansided's Robert Murray reported Wednesday.

Hill posted a 90-73 record with a 4.01 ERA, 1423-to-540 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .234 batting average against and a 1.26 WHIP throughout his 19-season career.

The 44-year-old played for the Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres.

The Boston native didn't return to the big leagues this year after a tumultuous 2023 season left him jobless. Hill logged an 8-14 record with a 5.41 ERA, 129-to-58 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .281 batting average against and a 1.52 WHIP in 146 1/3 innings pitched before becoming a free agent last offseason.

If Hill still has what it takes to pitch at the major league level and the Cardinals are interested, they will only have to clear up a spot on the roster to reel him in. This means that St. Louis could potentially get another proven starter without needing to sacrifice prospect capital or trade key players.

Going after Hill could be a perfect opportunity for the Cardinals to make a last-second addition to the rotation as the season winds down and we get closer to the playoffs.

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