Cardinals High-Leverage Hurler Reportedly 'Would Welcome' Re-Signing Discussions

Does St. Louis still want the veteran reliever?

Aug 18, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals mascot Fredbird runs on the field with a Cardinals flag after the Cardinals defeated the Colorado Rockies at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals' pitching staff is vastly improved from last year despite enduring several injuries throughout the season.

For instance, starting pitcher Steven Matz recently returned from the injured list after being sidelined in May due to a slow-healing lower back strain.

Battling through pitching injuries is no easy feat for a club to overcome but hopefully, next season will be different -- especially if St. Louis re-signs a pitcher who has yet to make his Cardinals debut.

"Setup man Keynan Middleton missed the entire season with a forearm strain, and the Cardinals have a $6 million option on him for 2025," St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold wrote Thursday when discussing how the Cardinals plan on keeping their bullpen together for next season. "He would welcome a discussion about making his return from injury with the Cardinals."

Considering that Middleton was acquired last offseason to bolster the bullpen and has yet to pitch in a regular season game for the Cardinals, electing to pass on his $6 million club option for next year wouldn't make much sense.

The 30-year-old has logged a 10-8 record with a 3.84 ERA, 199-to-85 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .242 batting average against and a 1.34 WHIP throughout his seven-season career, during which he played for the Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees.

Having Middleton in the bullpen with the three-headed monster and closer Ryan Helsely will make the Cardinals' relief core a force to be reckoned with -- more than it already is.

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