Top Free Agent Starter Looking For Deal Cardinals Could Afford; Should St. Louis Make Move?

Should the Cardinals sign the top remaining free-agent pitcher?

Sep 24, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (52) / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals seem to be in a better place than they were in at the end of the 2023 season but depth in the starting rotation still is a major question.

St. Louis added Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson this offseason but another move could still make sense. Gray currently is injured -- although he could return in the near future -- which has but an even brighter spotlight on the club's depth issues.

The Cardinals made moves early and often but haven't made another rotation move recently. If the club wants to add more veteran depth with upside, there still is a player available in free agency who could help.

Veteran starter Mike Clevinger still is looking for his next opportunity after a solid 2023 season with the Chicago White Sox. He had a 3.77 ERA and 110-to-40 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 131 1/3 innings pitched.

He surprisingly still is available and reportedly looking for a contract worth around $5 million for the 2024 campaign, according to USA Today Sports' Bob Nightengale.

"The best pitcher on the market is Mike Clevinger, who was the White Sox’s best pitcher last year with a 9-9 record and 3.77 ERA," Nightengale said. "Clevinger, 33, has told teams that he is seeking a one-year contract in the same salary range of Michael Lorenzen’s $4.5 million deal with the Texas Rangers that includes $2.5 million in incentives."

If the Cardinals wanted to make another move, they certainly could afford the contract that Clevinger is looking for. He is just 33 years old and has a career 3.45 ERA in seven big league seasons. Why not at least give him a look if you're St. Louis?

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