St. Louis Cardinals rumors: Out of the race for Ohtani
The St. Louis Cardinals are officially out of the race for International sensation, Shohei Ohtani.
With the St. Louis Cardinals in hot pursuit of Giancarlo Stanton, the chances of landing Japan’s Babe Ruth were slim to none.
Those suspicions have been rumored, with the St. Louis Cardinals officially out of contention for Ohtani, according to “reliable sources.”
#Cardinals are not in the Ohtani race, confirmed from source. They are "out." #stlcards
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) December 4, 2017
Not much of a surprise here, with Ohtani supposedly stating he would prefer playing for a smaller market, coastal team. I believe the Seattle Mariners are the team who will land Ohtani, with that MLB team meeting the requirements of Ohtani.
Back to the St. Louis Cardinals. If not Ohtani, and if Stanton decides to take his talents elsewhere, what do they need to do next?
Bullpen. The St. Louis Cardinals need a reliable stopper to close things out, which was an Achilles heel at critical times in 2017.
The best fit would be landing Alex Colome via trade from the Tampa Bay Rays, who was an All-Star in 2016 — 1.91 ERA/1.02 WHIP/37 saves.
2017 was also very steady — 3.24 ERA/1.20 WHIP, while boasting an MLB best with 47 saves.
Join us in congratulating @AlexanderColome!
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) September 30, 2017
He will finish the season as the first reliever in #Rays history to lead the majors in saves. 🐴 pic.twitter.com/dOVZANPzYE
If Colome doesn’t pan out, here are their top options on the free agent wire.
Top 25 Pitcher free agents for 2017-18
- Juan Nicasio, Right-handed, relief pitcher: St. Louis Cardinals to finish the season.
- 2017 stats: 76 G, 71 1/3 IP, 5-5, 6 SV, 2.61 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 6.9% BB, 24.7% K
- Career stats: 629 2/3 IP, 4.55 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 8.5% BB, 20.8% K
Nicasio was a nice addition to the St. Louis Cardinals towards the end of last season, nearly guiding them into the playoffs.
Ideally, landing Nicasio as the 8th inning/set-up man would be best, but it wouldn’t be worst case scenario if he were the 9th inning guy.
- Greg Holland, Right-handed, relief pitcher: Colorado Rockies in 2017
- 2017 stats: 61 G, 57 1/3 IP, 3-6, 41 SV, 3.61 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 11.1% BB, 29.8% K
- Career stats: 377 IP, 2.60 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 9.9% BB, 32.6%
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
The second best option would be Holland, who would benefit from playing in a more pitcher-friendly park than Coors field.
After winning the Comeback Player of the Year in 2017, he’s looking to reclaim the status as the best stopper in the game.
Wade Davis, Right-handed, relief pitcher: Chicago Cubs in 2017
2017 stats: 59 G, 58 2/3 IP, 4-2, 32 SV, 2.30 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 11.6% BB, 32.6% K
Career stats: 835 1/3 IP, 3.45 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 8.9%, 21.8% K
The ideal pickup for closer duties, Wade Davis, is the best stopper in all of MLB. Don’t let the ERA from last season fool you.
Davis has postseason experience, overpowering stuff, and a tough mentality. Plus, the St. Louis Cardinals would love to exact some revenge on their hated division rivals, the Chicago Cubs, landing a key member of their squad from 2017.
Next: Mariners rumors: Front-runners for Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani coming to the St. Louis Cardinals was a long shot anyway. Now, the Redbirds need to add one or two crucial back-end of the bullpen pieces, one more power-bat (cross your fingers and say prayers for Giancarlo Stanton), as well as finding a suitable replacement for Lance Lynn.