Cardinals Urged To Reunite With $6 Million Hurler After Lost Year
![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](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5724,h_3219,x_0,y_229/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_cardinals/01jjpra57qvsygb68rwm.jpg)
The St. Louis Cardinals already have lost a key piece of the bullpen this offseason.
Former Cardinals hurler Andrew Kittredge signed with the Baltimore Orioles and his loss certainly will leave a hole in the St. Louis bullpen. The Cardinals actually had one of the best bullpens in baseball last year. They finished the season with the sixth-best bullpen ERA at 3.64.
Now, the Cardinals need to find a way to replace Kittredge's production. One thing that makes the Cardinals' bullpen performance last year even more impressive is they were able to do it without one of their top free agent additions.
St. Louis signed veteran reliever Keynan Middleton to a one-year, $6 million deal last year but he was forced to miss the entire season due to an injury. Middleton now is available on the open market once again and FanSided's Josh Jacobs suggested that the Cardinals look to bring him back.
"I predicted the other day that Keynan Middleton would sign with the Cardinals before Spring Training, as even though he did not throw a single pitch for them last year, he clearly made a big impact on the club," Jacobs said. "The Cardinals credited Middleton with being a guy who was basically another coach for them, even while he was rehabbing all year. Middleton was impactful for multiple young Cardinals' pitchers as they developed last year and would be an excellent mentor for their young bullpen again in 2025.
"Middleton was really good in 2023 with the (Chicago White Sox) and (New York Yankees), posting a 3.38 ERA and 11.37 K/9 in 51 games. Middleton can slide into the Kittredge role for St. Louis next year while providing that veteran leadership and should come at a bargain price. The reunion just makes way too much sense to me both financially and for their on-the-field goals."
This is a great idea. He had a career 3.84 ERA across seven big league seasons and had a 3.38 overall ERA in 2023 in 51 appearances. He's familiar with the team and would be a seamless pickup.
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