MLB Rumors: Pros and Cons of Cardinals possible interest in Eduardo Rodriguez

The St. Louis Cardinals need pitching, but should they go after Eduardo Rodriguez, who could opt out of his Detroit Tigers deal?
Chicago White Sox v Detroit Tigers
Chicago White Sox v Detroit Tigers / Duane Burleson/GettyImages
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The 2023 season is almost over, and soon the postseason will begin. The St. Louis Cardinals are one team that will not be playing past the final day of the regular season on October 1.

The biggest reason for this is due to their pitching, or lack thereof. It's been well documented that over the past several offseasons, the Cardinals have been relatively quiet. This was certainly the case last offseason. They were in dire need of pitching, but ultimately settled for just one move, which was the signing of Willson Contreras.

St. Louis Cardinals pursuing Eduardo Rodriguez has pros and cons

This offseason, that will not suffice. They will have three rotation spots to fill once Adam Wainwright officially retires. Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty were shipped out at the trade deadline when it became clear that St. Louis would not be reaching the postseason, so they'll have work to do this winter if they want to contend again in 2024.

Only Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz are currently under contract past this season. Next year's Cardinals team is going to have to look completely different on the pitching side.

One pitcher who could be of interest to several teams, the Cardinals included is veteran left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who has enjoyed a strong season with the Detroit Tigers. He signed a five-year deal with Detroit after the 2021 season, which included an opt-out clause after the first two years.

This means he could be a free agent again this offseason.