The St. Louis Cardinals largely sat out during the epic spending spree teams went on in the month of December during free agency, with their only notable move being the signing of Willson Contreras.
There was a clear need for a frontline starting pitcher which still has not been filled.
In light of Adam Wainwright‘s recent struggles with his velocity, Cardinals fans are growing concerned about the team’s starting rotation.
It seems as though Wainwright’s mechanical flaw from last September is still plaguing him.
On Twitter, a Cardinals fan replied to Derrick Goold’s tweet about what was troubling the veteran right-hander on Thursday, expressing his frustration over the team not adding a starting pitcher this offseason.
Good thing we loaded up on pitching ………. https://t.co/SSaljzd5uv
— Sedan Man (@bradshair) March 3, 2023
Granted, St. Louis has plenty of depth.
If Wainwright does not pan out, the team could use Dakota Hudson, Jake Woodford, Andre Pallante, Matthew Liberatore, or even Andrew Suarez, who was signed to a minor-league deal.
Wainwright could then be used in a relief role, similarly to his rookie season in 2006.
The depth is there.
However, the quality of pitching is what fans are concerned about.
Starters such as Carlos Rodon, Justin Verlander, Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and even former Cardinal Michael Wacha were available.
However, each and every one of them was passed up, which in turn could come back to haunt the Cardinals.
There is still time for Wainwright to figure out his issue, and the worst-case scenario is that he moves to the bullpen, so it’s too early to panic.
However, the frustration of the fanbase is completely understandable and adding a starting pitcher would have been most beneficial for the team.
NEXT: Jordan Walker Is Front And Center In The Cardinals Lineup
