4 starters the Cardinals can acquire via trade at the Winter Meetings
By Curt Bishop
The St. Louis Cardinals addressed their starting rotation problems early with the signings of Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson. However, reports from Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch indicate that they aren't done adding to their rotation just yet.
They likely won't add another starter in free agency, but trades remain a very realistic possibility for the 11-time World Series champions.
St. Louis will need one more frontline starting pitcher if they are serious about contending in 2024. Here are a few pitchers the Cardinals could trade for in order to bolster their rotation.
4. Dylan Cease
Cease had a difficult 2023 season after finishing second in the Cy Young race last season, going 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA in 33 starts.
However, Cease still possesses a ton of upside and the ability to generate swings and misses. He recorded 214 strikeouts in 2023 and logged 177 innings.
At 27 years of age, Cease is still relatively young. And if the Cardinals do acquire him from the White Sox, they would be getting a proven workhorse who can give them innings and strike hitters out. He could slot into the rotation next to Gray as the Cardinals try to build a championship contender for the first time in almost a decade.
The Cardinals may have the innings covered for 2024, but they still need another top-of-the-rotation arm in order to be back in the conversation with teams such as the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies.
More often than not, teams that go deep into the postseason have two frontline starters that they can depend on. Gray and Cease would be a very solid one-two punch, and a trade for the latter would make St. Louis the instant favorite in the NL Central.