3 Cardinals players we’re glad are gone, 2 we wish had stayed

4. Drew VerHagen wound up being a quality reliever for the Cardinals

Drew VerHagen turned his career around in Japan, earning a two-year deal from the Cardinals in the 2021 offseason as a result. He was expected to play a big role in St. Louis' bullpen but his first season in a Cardinals uniform wound up being a complete wash. The right-hander appeared in just 19 games and posted a 6.65 ERA in 21.2 innings of work.

Expectations were low for VerHagen entering the 2023 campaign, but he was one of a very small number of Cardinals players who actually exceeded expectations. VerHagen appeared in 60 games for the Cardinals, posting a 3.98 ERA in 61 innings of work. As the season progressed, he settled in nicely as a late-game reliever, recording 14 holds with only one blown save.

The Cardinals bullpen struggled in a big way but VerHagen was the only Cardinals reliever who stayed both healthy and productive for large stretches of the season. St. Louis did upgrade by acquiring Andrew Kittredge and signing Keynan Middleton, but that doesn't mean fans won't miss one of the few trustworthy relievers from the 2023 team.

VerHagen surprisingly opted to sign another deal with the NPB, rather than with another MLB team. Even if he couldn't get a MLB deal, VerHagen certainly could've gotten a minor league deal with a real chance at making a roster.