Who Replaces the Cardinals' Departing Free Agents?

Sep 12, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryne Stanek (55) delivers against the Chicago White Sox during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Who Replaces the Cardinals' Departing Free Agents?

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 29, 2026 7:00 PM ET

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The St. Louis Cardinals don't have too many players heading off to free agency this winter, but there is one likely to go.

That is veteran reliever Ryne Stanek.

Stanek signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Cardinals with a $6 million club option for the 2027 season. Overall, Stanek was worth the price in 2026. He pitched in 70 games and had a 4.02 ERA. He struggled early on, but from April 30 through the end of the season, he had a 2.84 ERA in his final 56 appearances of the season. Again, certainly worth the price for the 2026 season. But the club option still seems unlikely. A raise to $6 million doesn't seem like the best way to use the funds for a team that is still in the early stages of a rebuild and also needs multiple bullpen arms this winter.

The bullpen was the club's biggest weakness in 2026. Keeping Stanek on a cheaper deal would be good. If not, there will be options to replace him. Internally, someone like Tekoah Roby would be interesting, depending on how the Cardinals try to work him back after missing the entire 2026 season. Full season roles for guys like Hancel Rincon or Brycen Mautz could make sense as well.

The Cardinals' Bullpen Needs A Boost

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If the Cardinals were to look outside of the organization, a few guys that they should target are AJ Minter, Andrew Kittredge, Jonathan Loaisiga, John Schreiber or Paul Blackburn, among many others.

At the end of the day, the bullpen is the area that the Cardinals need to put a specific focus on this winter. It certainly doesn't seem likely that the Cardinals are going to go out and make a massive investment this winter. That doesn't mean that the Cardinals shouldn't. But it just doesn't seem likely. The Cardinals have missed the playoffs in four straight seasons, but the 2027 season will be just year two with Chaim Bloom leading the club.

The Cardinals' farm system is loaded and will help in areas where the club has holes in the big leagues, like third base and maybe even the starting rotation. But arguably, there aren't a lot of options to help the bullpen that the club hasn't seen yet. If the Cardinals are going to add anywhere, the bullpen is where to invest. If you lose Stanek, but go out and sign multiple guys, like maybe Kittredge and Schreiber, all of a sudden you're in a better place.

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

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