MLB Rumors: Red Sox-Cease trade package, Cardinals still shopping, Giants-Imanaga
- Potential Dylan Cease-Red Sox trade package
- Cardinals pull off deal for former all-star reliever
- Shota Imanaga not seen as top priority for the Giants
MLB Rumors: Cardinals not done after landing former All-Star?
The St. Louis Cardinals were among the most active teams at the beginning of free agency, inking Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson to free agent contracts to improve what was an atrocious rotation in 2023. While it was paramount for St. Louis to make rotation upgrades, those players were all signed before Thanksgiving, and not much had happened since, until Friday.
While most were discussing the trade that sent Robbie Ray to San Francisco, the Cardinals pulled off an excellent move, acquiring reliever Andrew Kittredge in exchange for outfielder Richie Palacios, who is now headed to the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Cardinals added relievers like Nick Robertson and Riley O'Brien in trades and selected Ryan Fernandez in the Rule-5 Draft, but were still in need of a late-game arm to pair with Giovanny Gallegos and Ryan Helsley. Kittredge is that guy.
The right-hander was an All-Star for the Rays in the 2021 season after posting a 1.88 ERA in 57 appearances and 71.2 innings of work. He missed most of the last two seasons after undergoing Tommy John Surgery, but ended the 2023 season healthy with the Rays, posting a 3.09 ERA in 14 appearances. 12 of his 14 appearances wound up being scoreless for this underrated reliever.
Palacios performed admirably for the Cardinals after he was acquired from the Guardians last season, but with their glut of outfielders already, it was hard to picture him having much of a role. More importantly, though, St. Louis might not be done.
Despite already adding three starters early in free agency in Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak left the door open for more moves still to come, potentially adding another starter to the mix as well.
"We like it, but there's still some time. We're not shutting any doors and we're looking to see if there are ways to still incrementally improve."
St. Louis would still benefit from adding a starter and maybe even another reliever, but the addition of Kittredge gives them three relievers Oli Marmol can really trust late in games.