It’s very clear that the St. Louis Cardinals come into the 2025 offseason needing starting pitching help. Add a possible Sonny Gray trade into the mix, and St. Louis could have plenty of spots in the rotation. In addition to Gray’s spot possibly becoming vacant, the Cardinals are likely to move on from Miles Mikolas and could possibly move Andre Pallante out of the rotation. This leaves plenty of room for free agent/trade acquisitions. As the Cardinals’ ownership has been against spending money in the past, here’s one free agent that’d make perfect sense for St. Louis as a budget signing.
Two offseasons ago, Tyler Mahle signed a two-year $22 million contract with the Texas Rangers. After injuries saw him make only three appearances in the first year of his deal, he entered the 2025 season as an unknown commodity. That all changed, however, as he dominated for the Rangers. Although he missed a large chunk of the season due to a rotator cuff strain, Mahle certainly proved himself to be a worthy addition when he was on the mound.
Tyler Mahle would be a great fit for the Cardinals this offseason
In 16 starts for Texas, Mahle went 6-4 with a 2.18 ERA in 86 ⅔ innings of work. Mahle struck out 66 and had an ERA+ of 168. Despite missing plenty of the season, Mahle posted 2.2 WAR, his second-highest of any season throughout his career. His strongest season came in 2021 where he posted 4.9 WAR with a 13-6 record and a 3.75 ERA in 180 innings of work for the Cincinnati Reds.
Why would Mahle be a good fit for the Cardinals’ rotation? Well, he keeps the ball in play through weak contact, a trait that would be aided by the Cardinals’ stellar infield and outfield defenders. According to Baseball Savant, Mahle had an average exit velocity off the bat of just 88.5 miles per hour. Also, his hard hit rate ranked him in the 77th percentile, with batters hitting the ball hard off of him 37.1% of the time. Additionally, Mahle attacks the zone early and often: His first pitch strike percentage last season was 63.9%.
If Mahle can continue to do these things well in 2026, he could become a great contributor for St. Louis. Not to mention, he’d be priced substantially lower than other top arms on the market. This way, St. Louis could add an above-average rotation arm while still being able to save money — money that could be spent on other free agents, or money that could be sent to other teams in trades of veterans in order to maximize prospect return.
