The St. Louis Cardinals are facing another winter of potential pitching staff shake-ups, despite making some significant moves last offseason.

While the additions of Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, and ace Sonny Gray bolstered the rotation, it seems changes are once again on the horizon. With Lynn and Gibson likely seeing their club options declined and Gray potentially hitting the trade market, the Cardinals could be back in the market for cost-effective starters.

Enter an intriguing possibility: a familiar face in former Cardinals pitcher James Naile. Naile just wrapped up a standout season in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) with the Kia Tigers, where he thrived after his contract was transferred there in January.

This year, Naile rocked a 12-5 record, registering a stellar 2.53 ERA, bolstered by a 138-to-35 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 1.27 WHIP over 149 1/3 innings. Notably, his impressive performance earned him the top pitcher spot in the KBO, playing a pivotal role in Kia’s championship win.

Contrast this with his previous sketches in Major League Baseball, where Naile’s 7.40 ERA over two seasons with St. Louis, along with a 12-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio, paints a more challenging picture. Opponents hit him hard, reflected by a .330 average against and a 1.89 WHIP in his MLB outings.

Now, as Naile heads into free agency after his remarkable stint abroad, the Cardinals might consider bringing him back into the fold. Given the team’s current focus isn’t solely on constructing a peak roster for the 2025 season, taking a flyer on Naile presents minimal risk.

Should he manage to carry over his KBO prowess to the MLB, it could result in a high-reward scenario for St. Louis – all for a potentially bargain price.

For fans of the Cardinals, the buzz of what Naile could bring if he translates his success on international soil back to familiar grounds is a storyline to watch this offseason.