Cardinals Predicted To Cut Ties With $6M Fireballer After Lost Year

What will the Cardinals do this winter?

Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have a lot of work to do over the next few months and it's clear that there will be plenty of people not returning to the club in 2025.

St. Louis made a handful of additions heading into the 2024 season after a rough 2023 campaign. The Cardinals were significantly better in 2024 than the year before, but missed the playoffs. Now, the club will take a hard look in the mirror.

The Major League Baseball offseason officially is here now with the Los Angeles Dodgers taking down the New York Yankees in the World Series. The Cardinals don't have much time to make some decisions about options for the 2025 season.

One they will have to make is whether or not to bring reliever Keynan Middleton back in 2025 on a deal worth $6 million. The Athletic's Katie Woo predicted that the team will turn down the deal, though.

"The Cardinals have five days after the conclusion of the World Series to exercise their club options on Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson and Keynan Middleton," Woo said. "St. Louis is not expected to exercise Lynn's one-year, $11 million option for 2025 nor Middleton's one-year. $6 million deal."

This isn't too shocking. Middleton likely could be a solid piece in 2025 for the Cardinals, but he missed the entire 2024 season so a $6 million price tag just is too high. St. Louis is looking to cut salaries and this is one way to do so.

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