3 remaining free agents the Cardinals should sign, 2 to avoid

4) Robert Stephenson's track record is risky for the Cardinals to take a chance on

Hicks is one of several relievers the Cardinals could sign to help Helsley in the back end of their bullpen. Another popular name on the free agency market is Robert Stephenson, who came out of nowhere this past season and pitched like one of the best pitchers in baseball for the Rays.

Stephenson was nothing more than a journeyman through the first seven years of his career. He was a highly-touted prospect and a first round pick beginning his career with the Reds, but didn't pan out for the most part there. He had a solid year for the Rockies in 2021 but struggled in 2022. He looked like he was on the same path in 2023, before a mid-season trade sent him to Tampa Bay. While pitching for one of the best organizations in the sport, Stephenson suddenly pitched like an elite reliever.

The right-hander posted a 2.35 ERA in 42 appearances for the Rays, and just got better and better as the season progressed. In the second half of the season, he pitched to a 1.50 ERA in 26 appearances. In the month of September, he had an ERA below 1.00, allowing one run in 9,2 frames. Stephenson had a minuscule 0.678 WHIP during his Rays stint, and perhaps what was most impressive was the fact that he walked just eight batters compared to 60 strikeouts.

While he obviously excelled with Tampa Bay, he has a 4.64 ERA in 271 career appearances across eight seasons. The 30-year-old is going to get rewarded generously financially for what he did with the Rays, and there's little reason to believe he can replicate it. It'd be cool if he did, but the Cardinals shouldn't be the team to take that risk.