3 mistakes Cardinals can’t afford to make this offseason

Cardinals must add pitching, one way or another

With trade deadline acquisitions J.A. Happ and Jon Lester hitting free agency, Girsch is in a tough position with the starting rotation. Thankfully, the Cardinals already inked Adam Wainwright to another short-term deal.

Max Scherzer, a hometown kid, is hitting free agency in search of what’ll likely be his last lucrative contract. The Cardinals could strike and bring him home to St. Louis — a move that would surely make them among the favorites to win the World Series in 2022.

But even if it’s a few lesser moves to fill out the rotation behind Wainwright and Jack Flaherty, the Cardinals are pretty lacking on the beck end. This team is nothing without pitching, which is why Girsch had to acquire Happ and Lester at the deadline in the first place. It was an act of desperation for a team that, before its remarkable second half win streak, was on the outside looking in at the playoff picture.

St. Louis can’t rely on another historic run to make the playoffs. They shouldn’t be in that position to begin with, and preventing such a dilemma starts with more consistent starting pitching.