The Cardinals’ Starting Rotation Still Has Question Marks

Heading into the offseason, the St. Louis Cardinals were interested in upgrading their starting rotation. They did this by signing free agents Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn. This is also Lynn’s second stint as a redbird. However, the Cardinals’ rotation isn’t significantly better from last season. While St. Louis added three veteran starting pitchers, their rotation still is questionable.

Pitching Was The Problem In 2023

Last season, the Cardinals starting rotation was their Achilles heel. Injuries and underperformance by the rotation were big reasons why the Cardinals lost 91 games for the first time since 1990. At the trade deadline, St. Louis dealt away starters Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty. Steven Matz struggled so badly as a starter that he was relegated to the bullpen for most of the year. Miles Mikolas was unable to follow up on his all-star year in 2022. Dakota Hudson showed that he wasn’t panning out and was non-tendered this offseason. Adam Wainwright showed that father time is undefeated and retired in the offseason. This meant that St. Louis had to prioritize upgrading their starting rotation in the offseason.

Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson Aren’t The Most Reliable

St. Louis first decided to first focus on the back end of their rotation and sign Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn. Gibson spent all last year with the Orioles while Lynn split his time with the White Sox and Dodgers. Lynn is also in his second stint with the team as he was previously a Cardinal from 2011-2017. While Gibson and Lynn are veteran pitchers who can eat innings, they also aren’t the most reliable.

Lance Lynn Is On The Decline

Since making the all-star game in 2021, Lance Lynn has seen a decline in performance over the past two seasons. While he combined to go 13-11 with both the White Sox and Dodgers, Lynn had a career-high ERA of 5.73. He had a hard time with the long ball, leading the league with 44 home runs given up, also a career-high. In the second of last season, Lynn was also playing in a pitcher-friendly ballpark in Dodger Stadium. While Busch Stadium is more advantageous to pitchers and Lynn has played there before; fans should be skeptical of a resurgent year happening. Lynn is also 36 and appears to be nearing the end of his career.

Kyle Gibson’s Record Is Misleading

Kyle Gibson’s 16-9 record is very misleading. Gibson finished the 2023 season with an ERA of 4.73 and the Orioles offense often bailed him out. Last year, Baltimore gave Gibson just over six runs per game. The 2023 season marked just the third time in his career that he was able to pitch in over 192 innings. Gibson also struggled to keep the ball in the yard giving up 23 home runs last year. The Cardinals offense was mediocre last year, averaging just over four runs per game. Unless St. Louis is clicking offensively, it’ll be tough for Gibson to be the innings eater the Cardinals want him to be.

Can Sonny Gray Handle Being The Staff Ace?

To anchor their rotation, the Cardinals went and signed Sonny Gray to a three-year $75 million contract. Gray was great last year with the Twins going 8-8 with an ERA of 2.79 to go along with 183 strikeouts. He’d be selected to his third career all-star game and finish second in the American League Cy Young award voting. While the Cardinals expect him to be the ace of the rotation, Gray hasn’t had that role since his days with the Oakland Athletics. Since leaving Oakland, Gray has worked behind other pitchers such as Luis Castillo and Pablo Lopez. Making the jump from a number two starter to the top of the rotation isn’t easy. The question for Gray is can he handle being the ace of the staff?

The Cardinals’ Starting Rotation Still Has Questions To Answer

While St. Louis added new arms to their rotation, questions remain when it comes to the Cardinals starting pitchers. The three free agents they acquired, Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson are both in their mid-30s. Typically pitchers of that age tend to see a drop off in performance. All three pitchers have question marks surrounding them heading into the 2024 season. Unless they all pitch well, St. Louis just might find themselves back where they were last season.

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