NL Central-Rival Fan Favorite Shockingly Could Land With Cardinals This Winter

St. Louis might not have to look too far for pitching this offseason

Jun 25, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (28) pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images / John Hefti-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff performed much better in 2024 than last year but the rotation's shortcomings need to be addressed this winter.

A rotation that ranks No. 22 in the league with a 4.41 ERA won't help the Cardinals reclaim the National League Central throne from the Milwaukee Brewers next season if changes aren't made.

Although the Cardinals are unlikely to pursue one of the top starting pitchers on the market, perhaps St. Louis could steal a hurler from an NL Central foe to help retool the arsenal for next season.

"Kyle Hendricks '100 percent' intends to play next year, the Chicago Cubs pitcher toldThe Athletic, confirming he plans to explore his options as a free agent for the first time," The Athletic's Patrick Mooney wrote Wednesday. "Hendricks, the only player remaining from the 2016 World Series team, wants to prolong a career that has already exceeded the wildest expectations."

Hendricks has posted a 97-80 record with a 3.69 ERA, 1255-to-361 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .250 batting average against and a 1.18 WHIP throughout his 11-year career with the Cubs.

Although Hendricks wasn't drafted by the Cubs, he hasn't pitched a single inning in the majors for any other team since debuting with Chicago in 2014.

The 34-year-old has been a reliable starter for Chicago over the years. However, this season has been Hendricks' worst as a big-league hurler -- posting a 4-11 record with a 6.25 ERA, 83-to-40 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .290 batting average against and a 1.49 WHIP in 118 innings pitched.

With Hendricks coming off the worst season of his career as he looks to explore the free agent market this winter, he'll likely be available at a discounted price.

Considering that the Cardinals might not spend much this winter to address the rotation, acquiring Hendricks for a bargain would make sense. Granted, St. Louis likely needs more than the Cubs' household name to turn things around in 2025 but perhaps he'll be a change of scenery candidate who can put his worst season behind him and be an asset for the 11-time World Series champions.

More MLB: Cardinals All-Star Might Have Suffered Career-Ending Injury With Latest IL Stint