Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals To Cut Ties With $5.5 Million All-Star With Payroll Cuts

The Cardinals are making some serious changes to the organization

Patrick McAvoy

Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
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The St. Louis Cardinals are going to have a lower payroll in 2025, but that doesn't mean that the club can just sit around and not fill out the roster.

St. Louis will lose many players this offseason, but it still has to bring in at least a few this offseason to fill out the roster. The Cardinals will play 162 games in 2025, whether they bring all of their veterans back or not. It may not be a pretty season, but the Cardinals need to make sure they have enough depth throughout the organization to get through.

One of the Cardinals' biggest strengths from the 2024 season was the performance of the bullpen. St. Louis actually had one of the best bullpens in baseball, but a key piece will be hitting free agency. All-Star hurler Andrew Kittredge will be a free agent after logging a 2.80 ERA across 74 outings and is projected to get a $5.5 million deal over one season by Spotrac.

Although he was great for the Cardinals, and they will need to fill the bullpen, they reportedly won't look to reunite with Kittredge, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold.

"Kittredge set a club record for holds and led the National League with 37," Goold said. "His addition and versatility at setup proved crucial to the Cardinals’ use of Ryan Helsley in a more traditional, ninth-inning closer role. Helsley led the (National League) and set a club record with 49 saves. The Cardinals do not intend to pursue Kittredge as a free agent, sources described. That approach came after the club’s determination to focus on youth and invest in player development."

Unfortunately, changes are coming.

More MLB: Cardinals $130 Million Star In Danger Of Signing With Yankees, Per Insider

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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