Sep 17, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of a St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Cardinals Adding On? St. Louis Urged To Acquire $13.7 Million Ace

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals opted to wave the white flag on the season at the trade deadline by dealing away a trio of pitchers rather than adding on, but this looks like the correct move to make.

In the offseason, the Cardinals will be transitioning from John Mozeliak to Chaim Bloom as the president of baseball operations and it's likely the right decision to give Bloom a clean slate to work with. That means Bloom will have a bit of extra money to spend as he looks to build the team's roster.

One place the Cardinals need to upgrade is the starting pitching rotation and Bloom could use the upcoming free agency class to add the ace that the Cardinals desperately need.

Cliff Williams of Redbird Rants recently suggested the Cardinals should pursue San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease when he lands in free agency at the end of the season.

Dylan Cease would fit the Cardinals very well in 2026

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

"The Cardinals are in a familiar spot. Searching for a front-line starting pitcher, one name stands out: Dylan Cease," Williams wrote. "The San Diego Padres right-hander is in the final year of his contract and represents a high-upside gamble that could finally solve St. Louis’ rotation woes. Cease is a true swing-and-miss pitcher, not a ground-ball guy. He built his reputation on a dominant slider and a high strikeout rate, evidenced by his Cy Young runner-up season in 2022.

"While his command has been inconsistent, the underlying numbers suggest he's better than his ERA, making him a tantalizing project for a new pitching coach. Cease’s value comes from missing bats, and the Cardinals are moving in that direction as quickly as possible. He brings a durable arm, ranking seventh among pitchers in innings pitched since 2021."

Cease is the kind of ace who's worth spending a lot of money for. Matthew Liberatore has been fine for the Cardinals, but he's not an ace. Sonny Gray has been dominant at times, but he's getting older and doesn't look like the team's ace of the future.

Spending the money to add Cease is the right move. This would give the young pitchers a top of the line starter in the rotation to learn from while also taking some of the pressure off the youngsters as they make their way to the big leagues.

This move might not be the most likely move possible because teams like the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and other big market teams could overpay for Cease. But if his market isn't ridiculous, the Cardinals could be the perfect fit for the righty.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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