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The St. Louis Cardinals front office must figure out how to retool the rotation this winter without increasing the payroll too much.
Fortunately, several hurlers in the free-agent market could be acquired at an affordable rate, including a future Hall of Fame candidate.
It’s also possible the Cardinals will enter a bidding war with the National League Central-rival Milwaukee Brewers over a pitcher from the American League East.
Boston Red Sox right-handed pitcher Nick Pivetta was recently linked to the Brewers, Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays as “best fits” to land him this offseason, according to The Athletic’s Tim Britton’s free agency projections from Thursday.
Pivetta has logged a 56-71 record with a 4.76 ERA, 1139-to-377 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .249 batting average against and a 1.32 WHIP throughout his eight-year career between his time playing for the Philadelphia Phillies and Red Sox.
Although Pivetta is a middle-of-the-rotation starting pitcher at best, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi recently reported that the Boston hurler has a “surprisingly strong” market.
If Pivetta turns down the $21 million qualifying offer he received from the Red Sox to return for 2025, it’s tough to imagine the Cardinals offering him anything more than that, let alone match it.
After posting a 6-12 record with a 4.14 ERA, 172-to-36 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .231 batting average against and a 1.13 WHIP in 145 2/3 innings pitched for Boston in 2024, the Cardinals should have no business getting involved in a sweepstakes for Pivetta.
If the Cardinals wouldn’t offer fan favorite Paul Goldschmidt a $21 million qualifying offer, they’d probably not extend one to an unproven pitcher such as Pivetta.
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