STL Cardinals rumors: Fan favorite trade, Arenado interest, surprise pitching target

St. Louis Cardinals have a surprise pitching target: Rakuten Eagles closer Yuki Matsui

Yuki Matsui, who served as the Eagles closer this past season in the JPPL, could be posted as early as this offseason, and the Cardinals would probably have some interest in the top-end reliever. While Matsui isn't the top-end rotation upgrade St. Louis fans are searching for, he would improve the bullpen immensely assuming he can make the transition to MLB without a hitch. Josh Jacobs of Redbird Rants gave his scouting report of Matsui's game:

"Matsui is a top-end reliever in the JPPL, who has posted a 1.63 ERA with 39 saves in 2023. He's the youngest reliever in the league's history to hit 200 saves and has the stuff that should translate to the big leagues...His fastball hits 96 MPH but typically sits between 92-94 MPH. He's a lefty reliever though, and his splitter and slider are the pitches that he tends to overpower hitters with. He also has a curveball, giving him a well-rounded four-pitch arsenal."

On paper, that sounds like a player St. Louis would have interest in. He was reportedly linked to the Cardinals via Goold at the Post-Dispatch, which should carry some weight entering the offseason.

Matsui is a left-handed pitcher who has success against right-handed batters as well as those on the left side of the plate. That's a rare commodity, but his lack of MLB experience should keep his price tag down enough for the Cardinals to afford him.