Apr 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A detailed view of an Arizona Diamondbacks hat at the game between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Cardinals Among 'Best Team Fits' For Diamondbacks All-Star

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Oct 27, 2025 8:09 AM ET

It would certainly make things easier this offseason if the St. Louis Cardinals could add another veteran hurler with upside to the organization.

There's reason to believe the Cardinals will at least try to add a piece. President of baseball operations Chaim Bloom has been open throughout the offseason so far about the Cardinals' need for pitching and didn't limit the idea to just a short-term fix.

The Cardinals' payroll is always going to be a question, especially when there are big contracts on the books right now, like Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray. Both could get traded, but it's too early for that. Regardless, there will be talent out there this winter and former MLB general manager and current insider for The Athletic, Jim Bowden, made a list of the top 50 players heading to free agency with "best team fits" and had the Cardinals as a fit for Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen.

"Just two years ago, Gallen was the starting pitcher for the NL in the All-Star Game and finished in the top 10 in the Cy Young Award voting for the third time in four years," Bowden said. "He followed that up last year by going 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA and was expected to be one of the top free-agent starters in this year’s class. However, he had a down year, going 13-15 with a 4.83 ERA and 4.51 FIP over 33 starts.

Zac Gallen is someone who could help the Cardinals but doesn't seem likely

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"His rate of strikeouts per nine innings was the lowest of his career at 8.2, down from 9.5 the previous year. He just turned 30, but over the past two seasons, he hasn’t been the same pitcher he was at his peak. Will teams see a pitcher who can compete for Cy Youngs again, or one who is more of a mid-rotation starter like he was the last two years? ...Best team fits: Orioles, Red Sox, Tigers, Astros, Padres, Giants, Braves, Mets, Cardinals, Cubs."

Gallen is coming off a season in which he had a 4.83 ERA in 33 starts. He does have a career 3.58 ERA, though, in seven seasons. He was an All-Star back in 2023 and is just a few years removed from a brilliant 2022 campaign that saw him log a 2.54 ERA in 31 starts.

Getting him would be a win, but Bowden projected his market value to be $135 million over five seasons. That would be a historic contract by the Cardinals' standards. If that market value proves to be realistic, then this just seems like it's likely too high with the Cardinals seemingly approaching a rebuild anyway. A good idea to get a guy like Gallen, but the finances still are a big question for St. Louis.

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

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