The St. Louis Cardinals could end up surprising some people in 2024.
St. Louis had a devastating 2023 campaign that saw the club end up being one of the biggest sellers ahead of the trade deadline. The Cardinals traded away Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty, and Jordan Hicks ahead of the deadline and looked to regroup this offseason.
The Cardinals signed Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson but some have speculated one more signing could make sense in order to truly compete for a World Series title.
St. Louis is in a much better spot and should be able to finish near the top of the National League Central standings but another pitcher could help.
Montgomery still is available in free agency and although a return to the Texas Rangers may be the most likely option, St. Louis at least has "checked in" with him, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.
"While the (San Francisco Giants) always made sense for Blake Snell (who agreed to a $62M, two-year deal in San Francisco), this is the obvious team for Montgomery, who not only is believed to want to return but is recalled as one of the most key reasons this team won its first championship," Heyman said. "The (Boston Red Sox) held a Zoom call a month ago with Montgomery. But Boston doesn’t feel like it’s doing much of anything at the moment (or all winter for that matter).
"The (Chicago Cubs) checked in, but they haven’t seemed to be at the forefront of talks, either. The Cardinals touched base, and while they look like they can use another pitcher, there’s no word of any involvement there."
Montgomery still may be unlikely for the Cardinals, but with each day he remains available, his price tag could drop. St. Louis is in a better spot than it was in, but a reunion with Montgomery could go a long way.
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