The St. Louis Cardinals entered this offseason with lowering payroll as one of their top priorities but so far, they've only eliminated several names from the books.
Declining veteran right-handed pitchers Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson and Keynan Middleton's club options for 2025 cleared up space. However, notable names such asa pair of valuable hurlers to not only clear payroll room but free up space for youngsters to gain experience. "The Cardinals are having a tough time finding a taker for Nolan Arenado on the trade market, while Willson Contreras has made it clear he wants to stay in St. Louis and Sonny Gray seems to be in that same camp," Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter wrote Thursday morning. "That has made starting a much-needed roster retooling easier said than done, though interest in guys like Erick Fedde and Ryan Helsley could pick up as the free-agent market continues to dwindle.
Fedde is signed through 2025 with St. Louis and will earn $7.5 million next season, which isn't a bad rate for the Cardinals, considering he's coming off the best season of his career.National League Reliever of the Year this season. The Cardinals could be inclined to trade him for a solid haul of prospects while he's at peak market value.this winter despite all the rumors saying otherwise. As for Fedde's future with St. Louis, it is a bit more foggy.