3 moves St. Louis Cardinals need to make now that MLB lockout is over

3 moves Cardinals need to make now that MLB lockout is over

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Yadier Molina #4 talks to T.J. McFarland #62 as Paul DeJong #11 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks on in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the National League Wild Card Game at Dodger Stadium on October 06 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 29: Ryan Tepera #51 of the Chicago White Sox pitches against the Chicago Cubs at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 29, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox defeated the Cubs 13-1. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

St. Louis Cardinals rumors: Bullpen help on the way with Ryan Tepera?

Ryan Tepera was mentioned as a player close to signing with the St. Louis Cardinals prior to the lockout. Once moves begin, it’s believed he will remain a target for the Cardinals.

The 34-year-old right-hander was a middle reliever for the Chicago White Sox in 2021. He pitched in 65 games for the Sox, throwing 61.1 innings, going 0-2 with two saves and 21 holds, and 74 strikeouts.

Tepera’s slider is his primary put-away pitch, followed by a lesser-used curveball. He also uses a four-seam fastball, change-up, and sinker.

When the St. Louis Cardinals do sign Tepera, it will be interesting to see if pitching coach Mike Maddux and catcher Yadier Molina work with him to narrow down his pitch selection from the five he has in his arsenal.

Cardinals pitching has often had pitchers rely upon off-speed pitches – such as the slider and curveball – to generate ground balls that allow the pitcher to gain trust in the defense behind him. Tepera should feel comfortable with the Rawlings Gold Glove defenders behind him, for sure.

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