Latest Cardinals Free Agency Buzz Would Make Sense For St. Louis

"The Cardinals could have signed Scherzer, a St. Louis native, two different times over the last decade or so, but they opted to instead hold onto their money and spend in other ways despite Scherzer being a good fit for the team. They'll have one more chance to bring in the Mizzou alumnus," Gauvain wrote. "Scherzer, who is now 41, is still pitching well even at an advanced age. His current contract with the Blue Jays is paying him $15.5 million.

"According to Spotrac, Scherzer is valued at $9 million on a one-year deal for next year. That's not a negligible amount of money for a pitcher who will turn 42 during the year, but Mad Max is defying Father Time in a way. Scherzer went 5-5 this year with a 5.19 ERA across 17 starts and 85 innings; he struck out 82 batters and walked 23. His fastball velocity rebounded slightly from his career-low average of 92.5 MPH last year to 93.6 MPH, but it's still in the 37th percentile in baseball."

Scherzer has been productive for the Blue Jays in the postseason, which should bring some attention to his name in free agency. The future Hall of Famer still has some gas left in the tank.

For the Cardinals, Scherzer makes sense as a one-year player who could fill a role while the prospect pitchers finish prepping for their big league debuts. If Sonny Gray is traded this offseason, this idea would make even more sense.

Adding a veteran pitcher, especially one with ties to St. Louis, isn't a bad idea. In a year or two, the Cardinals' rotation will be dominated by young talent. But for now, adding a guy like Scherzer would work as that young talent finishes preparing themselves.