After a disappointing 2023 season, the St. Louis Cardinals are gearing up for a busy offseason aimed at improving their roster.
Among their top priorities is bolstering their starting rotation, and recent rumors suggest they have their sights set on some elite pitching talent.
According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals are reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring three standout pitchers: Blake Snell of the San Diego Padres, Aaron Nola of the Philadelphia Phillies, and Sonny Gray of the Minnesota Twins.
Goold recently shared insights into the Cardinals potential pursuit of the coveted arms.
“Reported the Nola and Gray information in this morning’s paper,” Goold stated. “The Cardinals believe they can make a compelling offer to Gray, and we’ll see how quickly they move to do that when the postseason is over.”
“Nola is going to generate an auction. We’ll see if the Cardinals have the stomach for that. They’ll have discussions with Snell, and of course, there has already been some intel gathering on that end to see where and how he would fit, but also how far to go in the bidding to get him.”
Among the trio of pitchers, Snell stands out as the most prominent name.
Snell is considered a frontrunner for the 2023 National League Cy Young Award following an outstanding regular season with the San Diego Padres.
The 30-year-old left-hander compiled a remarkable record, going 14-9 with a 2.25 ERA and an impressive 182 ERA+ across 32 starts.
Day 5 of Padres highlights until Opening Day:
Blake Snell takes a no-hitter into the 7th inning as Albert Pujols is chasing 700 HR (September 21, 2022) pic.twitter.com/Omql6CiDnO
— Talking Friars (@TalkingFriars) January 31, 2023
However, Nola and Gray also present enticing options for the Cardinals.
The Cardinals struggled mightily with their starting pitching this season, ranking just 26th in the majors in starter ERA (5.08) and 22nd in Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) with a 4.61 mark.
What do you think of Snell?
Should the Cardinals go after him?