Breaking: Cardinals Considering Deal To Sign $102 Million Pitcher Amid Pitching Woes
The St. Louis Cardinals had a lot of work to do in the summer following their 2023 71-91 record and last-place finish. Their top priorities were to start pitching and deal with a staff that entered 2023 with a 4.79 team ERA.
John Mozeliak, the president of the team, got to work and signed three seasoned veterans to cover the gap. Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz were retained, and righthanders Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, and Sonny Gray were acquired as replacements. Despite having several seasoned members, that group lacked any “glitzy” names, and Gray was regarded as the staff’s ace.
Gray, who finished second in the AL Cy Young Award competition the previous season, was expected to start for the Cardinals on opening day. It is quite improbable, though, that he will be ready for that match on March 28 due to recent arm issues.
Fans and the media are now left wondering if Mozeliak would consider taking a chance on another available pitcher who is still up for grabs. Thought to be eliminated from consideration for Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell, two unsigned free agents, a troubled player with a cheap price tag has surfaced in some spring talk.
The 2020 winner of the National League Cy Young Award, controversial talent Trevor Bauer, is available and would fit the club’s budget. Many in Cardinal Nation think he could be the solution to some of the team’s pitching issues despite his significant baggage.
Could Trevor Bauer Realistically Become a Cardinal?
Bauer himself stated in February that, while continuing his Major League Baseball apology tour, he would “love to” play for the Cardinals.
Bauer, who has found himself on the outside looking in after an MLB record 194-game suspension, would obviously love to play anywhere. The free agent has been blocked out thus far but is now free to sign with any team.
All of the charges that led to Bauer’s demise came from Lindsey Hill, one of his female friends, who on June 28, 2021, was given a temporary restraining order due to domestic abuse. She said that on two different instances, Bauer had abused her both physically and sexually.
Although it was consensual, Bauer admitted that he had a sexual relationship with Hill. According to ESPN in October 2023, Bauer was ultimately not prosecuted for any crimes related to the case, and the civil disputes were resolved.
Any MLB team that would contemplate signing Bauer has been warned not to do so since the accusations and ban. It’s difficult to sell him when you know that teammates have occasionally viewed him as unpredictable and slightly strange.
Particularly for the St. Louis Cardinals, who have shied away from controversial stars in the past. But with Gray’s injury and already enough questions about the rest of the rotation, is it time for Mozeliak to roll the dice on a former Cy Young winner? Bauer’s recent appearance is a signal that he certainly could, and it would be justified.
Bauer Can Still be Masterful on the Mound
Bauer threw on American territory for the first time since his suspension in July 2021 on Sunday, March 10.
Bauer, who was pitching for the Asian Breeze, a traveling Japanese team, outperformed a group of minor league players from Los Angeles, hitting a radar gun mph of 99. There were between 150 and 200 fans present to see their former star’s attempt to return from exile. The pitcher expressed his belief that he could still be a major league force after the outing.
“Maybe people will remember that I’m still one of the best pitchers in the world if I just stay ready,” Bauer remarked.
Is there a chance Trevor Bauer may wear the Birds on the Bat when the Cardinals prepare to play the Los Angeles Dodgers on opening day on March 28?
Although Mozeliak has earlier declared that the team was not interested in the mysterious ace, has the situation altered in his opinion? Cardinal Nation is now debating those important matters.
