Hochman: Cardinals secure some stability with Sonny Gray's preference to stay
The 2025 Cardinals aren鈥檛 fine with losing. That鈥檚 a distinction 鈥 an imperative one 鈥 between 最新杏吧原创 and certain other teams that have done rebuilds or retools or re-anythings.
We鈥檝e seen some franchises 鈥渢ear it all down,鈥 with the hope of losing and building through high draft picks. The Cards, it appears, aren鈥檛 doing this. Instead, they鈥檙e looking to significantly reinvest in their minor league system, while working to save money where they can in the bigs 鈥 and allowing young guys to have a bunch of playing time.
So having a guy pitch every fifth day who can often keep your team in ballgames 鈥 and give those young guys a chance to battle in some competitive baseball 鈥 is a good thing.
Even if it costs you $60 million over two years.
Admittedly, I was surprised that Sonny Gray wants to stay, as Post-Dispatch writer Derrick Goold reported recently. The natural thought is that a 35-year-old who has never pitched in the World Series (or even a League Championship Series) would want the best opportunity to do so. But Sonny鈥檚 preference is to remain with the Cardinals, who have said they鈥檒l shed salary this winter.
Gray has a no-trade clause in his contract. Yes, it鈥檚 possible that the Cardinals could still receive an offer for Gray, who is suddenly moved by that particular potential move. But for now, it looks like we know who鈥檚 starting on March 27 against Minnesota. Gray will make $25 million next year and $35 million in 2026.
最新杏吧原创 Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray works the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium on Friday, July 12, 2024.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
Is Gray鈥檚 return possibly a hindrance to the Cardinals鈥 overall plan? Not necessarily. To see their plan through, Sonny staying could just mean the Cards look to cut money other ways 鈥 or a way they hadn鈥檛 thought of prior. And we don鈥檛 know how $60 million off the books would鈥檝e accelerated the Cardinals鈥 overall plan anyway. And again, there are benefits to having a veteran who finished sixth in the National League last year in WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched).
Another aspect to this is the Cardinals鈥 starting pitching depth. As is, it doesn鈥檛 appear that Gray is blocking a big-league-ready top prospect from starting. But if the Cards trade, say, Nolan Arenado, and the haul is hurlers, then that changes the calculus.
Right now, the rotation will definitely have Gray and Andre Pallante. Erick Fedde 鈥 who the club traded for at the deadline 鈥 is currently under contract, along with veterans Steven Matz and Miles Mikolas. Michael McGreevy, Zack Thompson, Gordon Graceffo and Matthew Liberatore will surely be in the mix. Quinn Mathews made incredible leaps within the system last summer 鈥 he started the year in Class A and ended in Class AAA (though his Memphis ERA in four starts was 6.48). Gosh, you鈥檇 have to think he鈥檒l make his major-league debut in 2024, but its unclear if that鈥檒l be in the first weeks of the season.
And quite frankly, someone is going to have to pitch all these innings 鈥 there are 162 games to start 鈥 so Gray is a security blanket amid uncertainty. The young pitchers don鈥檛 have proven track records of logging big inning totals in the majors.
I will say, having Gray is so valuable to the club, regardless of the team鈥檚 trajectory. He鈥檚 a tough son of a gun, the kind of competitor who can inspire impressionable prospects. Yes, he doesn鈥檛 go deep into games. But he still has many old-school qualities that play today.
In 2023, Gray finished second in the American League Cy Young voting. It was quite a big deal that 最新杏吧原创 nabbed him that winter. And while he wasn鈥檛 Cy-like in 2024 鈥 it was an up-and-down ride 鈥 he still had some strong stats. He finished 13-9 with a 3.84 ERA. He only walked 39 batters. And he struck out 203 batters 鈥 yes, 203 鈥 in his 166 1/3 innings pitched. That led to his 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings, which was second-best in the entire National League (Trivia answer? The leader was Atlanta鈥檚 Chris Sale, who finished with 11.3 Ks per nine). Gray did have some rough stretches last year. He had, for instance, a brutal July. And he struggled in many (many) road starts. But at pitcher-friendly Busch Stadium, Gray tallied a 2.79 ERA and a microscopic 0.993 WHIP.
If anything, it鈥檚 pretty cool that Gray wants to remain with the club. Yes, it鈥檚 closer to his home in Tennessee than most Major League Baseball clubs. But he truly appreciates the history and lore that鈥檚 part of the Cardinals鈥 tradition.
But it was a winter ago, at Gray鈥檚 initial press conference, that something he said caught my ear. He spoke about how the Cardinals were a team associated with postseason baseball 鈥 and playoff success. But as Gray said that after the 2023 season, it made one wonder 鈥 just which Cardinals was he talking about? Because this is a franchise that had missed four of the previous seven postseasons and hadn鈥檛 won a single game in the LCS since 2014. The team he was joining wasn鈥檛 one that won in October. And sure enough, neither was the 2024 Cardinals.
Someday, the team will indeed return to October, though. And Gray鈥檚 loyalty will help get 最新杏吧原创 closer to that point.
Paul Goldschmidt, other former Cardinals look for new teams with MLB free agency underway
Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt celebrates his two-run home run with outfielder Lars Nootbaar in the fifth inning against the Padres on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, at Busch Stadium.
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
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The annual international game of musical chairs known as Major League Baseball free agency has begun. Players have vacated their roster spots across the majors, and many will eventually fill seats vacated by their baseball brethren. Rising prospects arriving at the rhythmic derby for the first time will fill other spots.
The Cardinals are poised to look inward more than outward this winter, but player movement still will serve as a central theme around MLB this offseason. That movement will almost assuredly impact the National League Central Division. It could also have ramifications on potential trade markets the Cardinals could explore.
Cardinals veteran players on the free agent market include starting pitchers Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn, relief pitchers Andrew Kittredge and Keynan Middleton and first basemen/designated hitters Paul Goldschmidt and Matt Carpenter.
Goldschmidt, the 2022 NL MVP, struggled at the plate for much of this past season. For his career he has batted .289 with a .381 on-base percentage and a .510 slugging percentage.
Goldschmidt turned 37 in September. While his production for the season fell behind his career averages (.245/.302/.414), his offense picked up late in the summer. He slashed .273/.325/.475 with six home runs and 24 RBIs in his final 50 games (49 starts). His 22 home runs led the Cardinals.
鈥淭o say 鈥 I鈥檓 37 now 鈥 that you鈥檙e going to be the same as when you鈥檙e 27, that鈥檚 just not the truth,鈥 Goldschmidt said after his final home game at Busch Stadium in September. 鈥淏ut you can still perform at that age, or at my age. We鈥檝e seen guys do it. I鈥檓 confident that that鈥檚 not holding me back, but it鈥檚 part of what goes on in your career. As you get older, you鈥檝e got to make adjustments and you鈥檝e got to adapt.鈥
Goldschmidt is part of a free agent class that includes arguably the game鈥檚 best all-around hitter in terms of hitting for average, on-base ability and power in former Nationals, Padres and Yankees left-handed hitter Juan Soto.
Some of the other premier hitters include Mets prodigious slugger Pete Alonso, Dodgers slugger Teoscar Hernandez, Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, Brewers shortstop Willy Adames, Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander, Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker and Padres infielder/outfielder Jurickson Profar among others.
The top pitching talent available includes former Cy Young Award winners Blake Snell, Corbin Burnes, Shane Bieber, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, as well as multi-time World Series winners Nathan Eovaldi and Charlie Morton and a long list of all-star caliber hurlers such as Max Fried and Walker Buehler.
The market for available free agents will likely impact the trade market, which the Cardinals are expected to explore. Teams mulling trades as an option to fill needs must also weigh those deals, which include losing current players or prospects, against spending money to acquire free agents.
Boston Red Sox's Tyler O'Neill (17) hits a single off of 最新杏吧原创 Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Gibson (44) during the second inning of a game Friday, May 17, 2024, at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创. Photo by Christine Tannous, ctannous@post-dispatch.com
Christine Tannous, Post-Dispatch
Former Cardinals hitting the market
Starting pitcher Jack Flaherty, fresh off a World Series championship with his hometown Dodgers, leads a group of former Cardinals who could be prominent figures in free agent machinations.
Outfielder Tyler O鈥橬eill is part of the free-agent class of sluggers after a productive season in Boston. He played in 113 games with the Red Sox and hit 31 home runs with a slash line of .241/.336/.511.
Left-hander Jordan Montgomery exercised his $22.5 million option to stay with the Arizona Diamondbacks despite about Montgomery鈥檚 performance this past season. ESPN鈥檚 Jeff Passan reported the Diamondbacks are likely to trade Montgomery and are willing to eat money to make his contract palatable to trade partners.
Other former Cardinals available on the open market include pitcher Jose Quintana, infielder Paul DeJong, outfielder Tommy Pham, outfielder Harrison Bader and outfielder Jason Heyward.
Hot stove outlook: The Cubs have reached outside their organization for major-league caliber talent in recent years with the signings of shortstop Dansby Swanson, outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger, outfielder Seiya Suzuki and starting pitcher Shota Imanaga. They could look to add to their pitching staff, both in terms of rotation and bullpen, with veterans like Kyle Hendricks and Drew Smyly no longer under contract (Hendricks signed with the Los Angeles Angels).
Considering their need to add pitching depth and their pursuits of Imanaga and Suzuki in recent years, the Cubs could be suitors for Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki. The 23-year-old is expected to be among the top available starting pitchers on the market this winter with a bevy of teams vying for him, including the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Cubs could explore the market for catchers. They entered the offseason with just starting catcher Miguel Amaya on their 40-man roster. Their depth/redundancy at positions such as the outfield seemingly makes them a candidate to make noise on the trade market.
CINCINNATI REDSFree agents: David Buchanan, RHP; Buck Farmer, RHP; Jakob Junis, RHP; Luke Maile, C; Nick Martinez, RHP; Amed Rosario, INF/OF; Brent Suter, LHP; Justin Wilson, LHP.
Hot stove outlook: By all accounts, the Reds aggressively pursued pitching last year on the free-agent market. That included coming up short in the Sonny Gray sweepstakes. They also signed several veterans on short-term or minor-league deals such as catcher Austin Wynns, first baseman Mike Ford, second baseman Josh Harrison, starting pitcher Frankie Montas and relief pitchers Buck Farmer, Emilio Pagan, Justin Wilson and Brent Suter.
It won鈥檛 be surprising if the Reds again opt for short-term, low-risk veteran deals to fill in gaps and provide depth. Their willingness to go after Gray last offseason doesn鈥檛 necessarily forecast how they鈥檒l approach the market this winter. They鈥檙e one of the teams that took a revenue hit due to Diamond Sports filing for bankruptcy. Diamond and the Reds subsequently ended their broadcast agreement. They鈥檝e also extended the qualifying offer to pitcher Nick Martinez. If he accepts, they鈥檒l pay him a $21.05 million salary in 2025.
The Reds could be in the market for a mid-level free agent to slot in at first base. However, they also have an abundance of infield options with Elly De La Cruz, Jonathan India, Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte, Santiago Espinal, Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Jeimer Candelario all figuring into the mix. One of those infielders could move to first base.
Brewers shortstop Willy Adames (27) watches his three-run home run during the first inning of a game against the Cardinals on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Milwaukee.
Jeffrey Phelps, Associated Press
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Free agents: Willy Adames, SS; Wade Miley, LHP; Frankie Montas, RHP; Colin Rea, RHP; Joe Ross, RHP; Gary S谩nchez, C.
Hot stove outlook: With shortstop Adames on the market and in line for a lucrative long-term deal after a season that included 32 home runs, 112 RBIs and 21 stolen bases, the Brewers can be flexible with who they chose to go after as far as free-agent infield options.
Joey Ortiz settled in at third base last season as a rookie, but he played more games at shortstop in the minors than any other position. Likewise, Brice Turang played primarily at shortstop in the minors before he became a Gold Glove-winning second baseman and the NL鈥檚 Platinum Glove winner this year.
The ability to potentially move Ortiz and/or Turang around the infield creates options for the Brewers. They could seamlessly add a power-hitting first baseman or third baseman into the lineup in an effort to make up for some of the production lost with Adames鈥 departure.
Intriguing first base/designated hitter options include Christian Walker, Anthony Rizzo, J.D. Martinez, Justin Turner, Carlos Santana and Goldschmidt.
While Brewers starting pitchers Frankie Montas and Collin Rea are both free agents, they have multiple options returning after they used 17 different starters and still won the division crown in 2024. That doesn鈥檛 even include Brandon Woodruff, who did not pitch this past season following shoulder surgery. The Brewers also traded Corbin Burnes before he reached free agency, so they may not be inclined to chase front-line free agent starters.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Free agents: Jalen Beeks, LHP; Ryan Borucki, LHP; Aroldis Chapman, LHP; Marco Gonzales, LHP; Yasmani Grandal, C; Andrew McCutchen, OF; Michael A. Taylor, OF.
Hot stove outlook: The Pirates aren鈥檛 currently tied to many players on multi-year major-league deals. They signed third baseman Ke鈥橞ryan Hayes to an eight-year extension in 2022, and they inked an eight-year extension with outfielder Bryan Reynolds in 2023. Those deals bought out the remaining pre-arbitration and arbitration-eligible years for both players. Starting pitcher Mitch Keller is signed through 2029. Infielder/outfielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa becomes a free agent next winter.
So the vast majority of the roster, as it currently stands, consists of young players short on experience and with relatively low salaries. In theory, they sit in a good position to make a splash with an impact free-agent addition either to bolster their lineup or to pair with pitching phenom Paul Skenes and Keller in the rotation.
However, several of the Pirates top prospects are in the upper levels of the minors. The fact that they鈥檝e had a sizeable contingent of veterans on short-term deals in recent years lends itself to the assumption that they鈥檝e been biding time for those prospects to fill those spots in the majors. after the season indicated a desire to rely on their farm system as opposed to free agency.
最新杏吧原创 Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt talks with his teammates as they wait in the dugout to take the field before the first inning of a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and 最新杏吧原创 Cardinals at Busch Stadium in 最新杏吧原创, on Saturday, April 20, 2024. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
David Carson, Post-Dispatch
Cardinals prospects wrapped up their Arizona Fall League stay. Here's how they performed.
A loss on Thursday against the Scottsdale Scorpions kept the Glendale Desert Dogs out of the Arizona Fall League鈥檚 Friday play-in game and signaled the end of the 2024 fall league for the eight Cardinals prospects assigned to the Desert Dogs.
This year鈥檚 group of Cardinals prospects was headlined by infielder Thomas Saggese and catcher Leonardo Bernal and included off-the-radar prospects like righty Matt Svanson, lefty Ixan Henderson, and outfielder Nathan Church.
The crop of Cardinals prospects aided the Desert Dogs, who were managed by Cardinals Class AAA affiliate manager Ben Johnson, to a 16-14 record in the fall league.
Now that the fall schedule has ended for the Desert Dogs, here鈥檚 a look at how each Cardinals prospect performed:
Infielder Thomas Saggese
Saggese, 22, was the highest-ranked of the Cardinals prospects invited to this year鈥檚 fall league and one of the rare AFL invitees with big league experience. With some big-league at-bats and momentum from a strong second-half stretch during the Class AAA season under his belt, Saggese batted .391 and produced a 1.118 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) in 18 games. Saggese, who debuted in the majors on Sept. 10 and appeared in 18 MLB games, was second among qualified AFL hitters in batting average, second in on-base percentage (.524), fourth in OPS, and sixth in slugging percentage (.594). Of the utility infielder鈥檚 25 hits, two were homers and seven were doubles. He walked (16) more often than he struck out (15). Saggese played 13 games at third base and one at third base. He did not play shortstop for the Desert Dogs after playing most of the Class AAA season at that position. Saggese was the lone Cardinals prospect selected to the annual Fall Stars Game.
Catcher Leonardo Bernal
Bernal, 20, overcame a sluggish start to finish the fall league with a .304 batting average, a .373 on-base percentage, and a .764 OPS in 13 games. The switch-hitting catcher collected eight of his 14 hits in the last five games he played in. Bernal batted .444 in that stretch. He was six-for-28 (.214 average) in the first 10 games he played in for Glendale. Bernal batted .300 in 10 at-bats against left-handers and .306 in 36 at-bats vs. right-handers. His lone extra-base hits 鈥 a double and a home run 鈥 came as a left-handed hitter. In 12 games at catcher, Bernal thwarted five of the 26 base stealing attempts against him, four of which came on Thursday, for a 19% caught stealing percentage. Heading into the fall league, the 20-year-old threw out a career-high 35% of base stealers in 78 games with Class High-A Peoria.
Right-hander Matt Svanson
After successfully converting all 27 of his save opportunities during the Class AA season, Svanson, 25, held a 5.91 ERA in 10 2/3 innings and collected one save in two save opportunities. The right-hander struck out 15 batters and walked two in his nine relief appearances. Svanson鈥檚 9 1/3 innings of work in the seventh inning or later of games were the fourth most in the AFL and the most by any Glendale pitcher. Svanson held opposing hitters to a .256 batting average, but he saw that figure jump to .292 when he faced righties. Of the 24 right-handers he faced, Svanson struck out 11 and did not issue a walk. All three homers Svanson allowed were against righties. Two of the three homers allowed came in his relief appearance on Thursday. Svanson allowed four home runs (one against a righty) across 53 appearances during the regular season. He allowed two runs, struck out seven batters, and issued no walks in his final 6 1/3 innings. Opposing hitters batted .174 in that stretch.
Left-hander Brycen Mautz
Mautz pitched eight games out of the Desert Dogs鈥 bullpen after spending his regular season as a starter in Class High-A. Mautz, a 23-year-old selected by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2022 MLB draft, completed 10 innings and held an 8.10 ERA. He struck out 11 batters and walked seven. Mautz entered the AFL coming off a regular season during which he had a 5.18 ERA and allowed a .287 batting average and a .528 slugging percentage against right-handed hitters. Mautz faced 24 right-handed hitters during the fall league and allowed a .333 batting average against him. He held lefties to a .150 batting average.
Outfielder Nathan Church
Church鈥檚 strong finish to the fall included nine hits in his final 22 at-bats. The strong finish boosted him to a .364 batting average and a .397 on-base percentage across 15 games. Church, 24, ranked fifth among his Glendale teammates in hits with 20 despite taking 55 at-bats 鈥 the latter of which was the 10th most by a Glendale hitter. Church drew three walks, struck out five times, and successfully stole three bases on five attempts. After posting reverse splits while in Class AA this past season, Church had an .808 OPS in 36 plate appearances vs. righties and an .833 OPS in 12 plate appearances vs. lefties. Church made six starts in center field, three in left field, and three in right field.
Left-hander Ixan Henderson
Henderson, whose first name is pronounced 鈥淓E-shawn,鈥 made five appearances (two starts) and maintained a 4.50 ERA in 12 innings. Five of the six earned runs allowed by the 22-year-old Henderson came in the final 3 2/3 innings he pitched. Henderson, a former eighth-round pick from the 2023 MLB draft, struck out 16 batters and walked eight. The lefty鈥檚 12.00 strikeouts per nine innings rate was 11th best among qualified pitchers. In scenarios with runners on base, Henderson held the 29 opposing batters he faced to a .167 batting average and tallied nine of his 16 total strikeouts when working with traffic on the base paths. When he worked with the bases empty, Henderson allowed a .348 average to the 27 batters he faced and collected nine strikeouts. His invite to the fall league came after sporting a 2.34 ERA in 104 innings between Class Low-A and Class High-A.
Left-hander Alex Cornwell
Across 9 2/3 innings of relief, the 25-year-old Cornwell posted a 4.66 ERA, struck out nine batters, and walked five. Cornwell tied for the AFL lead in holds with four. A former 15th-round pick from the 2021 MLB draft, Cornwell allowed eight hits to left-handed hitters and kept righties to five. The reverse splits led to a .444 batting average allowed to lefties and a .227 average allowed to righties. After throwing a career-high 16.75 pitches per inning while in Class AAA and Class AA this past season, Cornwell鈥檚 work to command the strike zone and set down hitters led him to throw 18.83 pitches per inning for the Desert Dogs.
Right-hander Trent Baker
Baker made three fall league appearances, one of which was a start. The 25-year-old allowed two runs, two hits, and walked four batters in seven innings. Before joining the Desert Dogs, Baker logged 81 innings in 22 games (14 starts) for Class AA Springfield. He held a 4.89 ERA for Springfield in his first season in Class AA.
As Cardinals play catchup, can their past guide future success?: Best Podcast in Baseball
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After a brief discussion about a shared fondness for a recent, deeply moving and haunting collection of linked short stories, Sequioa Nagamatsu's 'How High We Got in the Dark,' two baseball writers focus on another work of speculative fiction.
What to make of the 2025 最新杏吧原创 Cardinals.
CBS Sports baseball writer Dayn Perry joins the Best Podcast in Baseball to discuss his lifelong fondness and connection to the Cardinals, and his questions for what comes next. Along with 最新杏吧原创 Post-Dispatch baseball writer and BPIB host Derrick Goold, Perry discusses if the Cardinals have reached a point where fans, like him, must "adjust their expectations."
If so, the podcast explores, are the Cardinals still stuck in the middle, not committing to an all-the-way rebuild in the same way they came shy of an all-in contender.
Perry makes the case that the future of the Cardinals may come down to Jordan Walker's bat. It is the tent pole around which a lineup and a contender could be built, Perry argues, and the young outfielder needs the opportunity to grow into that -- not seesaw between levels.
Perry counted up that he has 28 different Cardinals hats, and two of them he wrote in his Substack newsletter, Birdy Work, illustrate his connection to the Cardinals. One is the mesh hat worn by his father mowing the yard in the Mississippi heat, and the other is the winter cap Perry's son wears against the Chicago cold.
As Perry recounts the story, his father became a fan of the Cardinals during the 1940s heyday, and his son latched onto the Cardinals during their 2010s run. Perry became a fan of those charismatic WhiteyBall clubs from the 1980s, the ones built around defense and speed and the time-tested, standings-approved art of stealing outs in the field and not making outs at the plate.
That invites the question: As the Cardinals look toward the future and modernizing their farm system while financial titans load up with talent on the coasts, is the model for how the Cardinals succeed in the future actually from their past?
To conclude the conversation, Perry flips the BPIB script and asks the host some questions.
The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of 最新杏吧原创, is a production of the 最新杏吧原创 Post-Dispatch, , and baseball writer Derrick Goold.
Subscribers had a lot of questions about what to do with all of the infielders, what a team with or without Nolan Arenado looks like, and TV talk galore in weekly Cardinals chat.
Other clubs have been buffeted by broadcast revenue uncertainty and relied on modern player development to contend. That's where Cardinals aim to catch up.
鈥淚鈥檓 not like looking to blow this thing up,鈥 says John Mozeliak. Willson Contreras is moving to first base, not moving in trade, and Sonny Gray prefers to stay.
A reduced rights deal and new revenue stream give team greater "clarity" on its budget with one indicator still out there as they trim costs: sagging ticket sales.
最新杏吧原创 Cardinals minor league pitcher of the year Quinn Mathews talked about the changes he'll be making this off season compared to previous off seasons.
听听
Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley sweeps NL relief awards in Las Vegas with record-breaking year
When it came time out in Las Vegas for the announcement on who won the National League鈥檚 Trevor Hoffman Award as its top reliever, there was about as much uncertainty of the outcome for Ryan Helsley in his seat as there was for the Cardinals with him on the mound.
The win was assured.
Helsley, the Cardinals鈥 record-setting closer, swept the reliever honors Thursday night during Major League Baseball鈥檚 All-MLB Awards Show. His MLB-best 49 saves and NL-best conversation rate (92.5%) swayed voters to honor him with the Hoffman Award and a spot on the first-time All-MLB alongside Cleveland鈥檚 Emmanuel Clase. The All-MLB team is voted on by fans and a panel of experts.
鈥淕etting better at taking it day by day, really embracing that closer role,鈥 Helsley said on stage Thursday night during the telecast of the award presentation. He was asked about his season by MLB Network anchor and Lindenwood University grad Greg Amsinger.
鈥淎nd if something goes bad,鈥 continued Helsley, one of the players who attended the awards celebration in Vegas, 鈥渞oll with the punches and go onto the next day.鈥
Helsley was the only Cardinal who won an award Thursday.
The winners for the big four Baseball Writers鈥 Association of America awards 鈥 the MVP, Cy Young Award, Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year, and Manager of the Year 鈥 will be announced throughout next week. The Cardinals do not have a finalist for any honor.
The Cardinals have already received interest from some teams looking to trade for Helsley, who can be a free agent at the end of the 2025 season. Helsley, 30, is eligible for arbitration this winter and coming off his strong, award-winning season, he will be due a raise estimated at about $4 million, or slightly more. Helsley is one of the Cardinals most appealing trade options for contending teams and could command a strong return, though multiple sources aware of the Cardinals鈥 planning told the Post-Dispatch the club is inclined to keep Helsley at this point unless overwhelmed.
Helsley is the first Cardinal to win the Hoffman Award, which began in 2014.
From 1976 through 2012, MLB presented the Rolaids Relief Man Award. Hall of Fame closer Bruce Sutter won that award four times, including three times as a Cardinal. The Cardinals also had three other winners of the Rolaids award: Lee Smith twice along with Todd Worrell and Tom Henke, once each. Helsley is the first Cardinals closer since Henke won in 1995 to be honored with a year-end award for relievers.
In 2014, the annual reliever awards were named for Hoffman in the National League and unanimous Hall of Fame selection Mariano Rivera in the American League.
The Cardinals committed to Helsley at closer during spring training, pledging to use the right-hander in save situations and the ninth inning as much as possible. Previously they had moved him around in role, targeting him against the best hitters in the opponents鈥 lineup regardless of the late inning.
Helsley responded to owning the ninth with a record-setting season.
He converted 31 consecutive saves to shatter and extend the Cardinals鈥 record. For a team that won 83 games, he had 49 saves to go with seven wins. That set a club record for most decisions in wins by a reliever, and he had a role in 67% of the team鈥檚 victories. His 49 saves surpassed the club record of 48 set by Trevor Rosenthal in 2015.
Less advertised than the commitment to closing was another shift for Helsley. He leaned into his slider as his most-used pitch for the first time in his career. That threw hitters off his overpowering fastball until they could do nothing with the overpowering fastball. Opposing hitters batted .171 against the slider.
Helsley struck out 79 batters in 66 1/3 innings and had a 2.04 ERA.
Helsley represented the Cardinals as their only All-Star at the All-Star Game in Texas, and he became the third Cardinals reliever to earn at least two All-Star appearances. The other two, Sutter and Smith, and both in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Cleveland鈥檚 dominant closer Clase won the Rivera Award after converting 47 of 50 save opportunities for the playoff-bound Guardians. Clase had a 0.61 ERA, which was the third-lowest ever for a reliever with a minimum of 50 innings.
Helsley and Clase were the two relievers picked for All-MLB鈥檚 first team.
Oakland A鈥檚 flamethrowing closer Mason Miller and Texas Rangers鈥 right-hander Kirby Yates were the relievers honored on the All-MLB second team.
As announced Thursday night in Las Vegas, here is the All-MLB first team: Willson Contreras鈥 younger brother William from the Brewers at catcher; 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto; 2B Ketel Marte, Arizona; 3B Jose Ramirez, Cleveland; SS Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City; OF Aaron Judge, Yankees; OF Juan Soto, Yankees; OF Mookie Betts, Dodgers; DH Shohei Ohtani, Yankees; SP Chris Sale, Atlanta; SP Tarik Skubal, Detroit; SP Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh; SP Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia; SP Corbin Burnes, Baltimore; and Helsley and Clase.
Unlike league-specific awards, All-MLB pools the leagues.
鈥淚鈥檓 not like looking to blow this thing up,鈥 says John Mozeliak. Willson Contreras is moving to first base, not moving in trade, and Sonny Gray prefers to stay.
Subscribers had a lot of questions about what to do with all of the infielders, what a team with or without Nolan Arenado looks like, and TV talk galore in weekly Cardinals chat.
A reduced rights deal and new revenue stream give team greater "clarity" on its budget with one indicator still out there as they trim costs: sagging ticket sales.
Cardinals prospects Leonardo Bernal, Nathan Church produce in AFL finale: Fall League Report
With a spot in the Arizona Fall League鈥檚 play-in semi-finals up for grabs, Cardinals prospects Leonardo Bernal and Nathan Church gave the Glendale Desert Dogs some offensive production to help push for a spot in the one-game playoff.
Bernal, a 20-year-old catcher, and Church, a 24-year-old outfielder, combined for four hits and three RBIs on Thursday against the Scottsdale Scorpions. Their three RBIs accounted for half of the Desert Dogs鈥 runs total vs. the Scorpions.
However, the opportunity to secure a spot in Friday鈥檚 one-game playoff fell short as Glendale lost 7-6 to Scottsdale.
The Desert Dogs trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning but clawed their way back into a tied contest with RBI hits from Bernal in the fourth and fifth innings. After Bernal鈥檚 two RBIs, Glendale fell behind 4-3 in the sixth inning. That deficit grew to 6-3 in the seventh inning after Cardinals prospect Matt Svanson allowed back-to-back homers to the first two batters he faced in his relief appearance.
Glendale brought the score back to within one run and had the game-tying run reach base when Bernal drew a one-out walk in the ninth inning. Reds infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand pinch-ran for the 20-year-old Bernal. A flyout from Church, who produced an RBI in the eighth inning, and a groundout from Dodgers prospect Jake Gelof left Encarnacion-Strand on base and ended the Desert Dogs鈥 fall schedule.
Glendale, which was managed by Cardinals Class AAA affiliate manager Ben Johnson, finished the AFL with a 16-14 record. Because of head-to-head tiebreakers, Glendale finished fourth in the AFL standings behind the Surprise Saguaros (17-10), the Salt River Rafters (16-14), and the Scorpions (16-14).
While batting from the left side with one out in the fourth inning, the switch-hitting Bernal pulled a double to right field off right-handed Giants prospect Cale Lansville that pulled Glendale within one run of Scottsdale. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Bernal grounded a single to right field off Jawilme Ramirez, a right-hander from the Mets system, that plated Reds infielder Matt McClain to even the score. Bernal鈥檚 single against Ramirez had a 102.6 mph exit velocity, per Statcast.
The pair of hits helped Bernal end the AFL with a .304 batting average and a .373 on-base percentage in 13 games. Bernal went eight-for-18 (.444 average) in the last five AFL games he appeared in.
After Glendale fell behind 4-3 in the sixth inning on an RBI single from Pirates prospect Kervin Pichardo, Svanson, 25, allowed solo homers to Blue Jays prospect Adrian Pinto and Mets prospect Jacob Reimer to open the seventh inning.
The home runs were the second and third Svanson allowed this fall. The right-hander, who converted 27 of 27 save attempts in the regular season with Class AA Springfield, made nine appearances for the Desert Dogs. He posted a 5.91 ERA and struck out 15 batters in 10 2/3 innings.
Church鈥檚 RBI in the seventh inning came on a forceout that allowed Phillies prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr. to score. Before his at-bat in the seventh inning, Church singled in the second and fourth innings. Church鈥檚 second-inning single had a 108.4 mph exit velocity, per Statcast.
The two singles raised the 24-year-old鈥檚 fall average and on-base percentage to .364. Church, who played in 15 games, collected 20 hits and held a .397 on-base percentage with Glendale.
Judge OKs Cardinals and Blues broadcast plan, allows Diamond to emerge from bankruptcy
A Texas judge on Thursday approved a reorganization plan for the company that broadcasts Cardinals and Blues games that would end the firm鈥檚 bankruptcy case and save local teams from broadcast limbo.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez said the plan, which allows the Cardinals and Blues to continue their relationship with Diamond Sports Group, would save jobs and help fans.
鈥淗ard-core fans are hard-core fans, and they want to see their teams play,鈥 he said at the hearing. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just as much a part of the American experience as anything else.鈥
This result was not always certain, or even probable.
For 20 months, three sports leagues and various individual teams fought over what would happen to their essential broadcasting contracts as Diamond tried to find a solution to business woes stemming from the rise of television streaming and the corresponding decline of cable viewership.
Diamond eventually reached deals with the National Hockey League and National Basketball Association to continue broadcasting the current season through its Bally Sports regional networks but signaled it could drop broadcasts for baseball teams like the Cardinals if a deal couldn鈥檛 be reached.
Then last week, the Cardinals announced they would stay with Diamond, via Bally 鈥 now called FanDuel Sports Network 鈥 in a multi-year deal that includes a new streaming product. FanDuel announced Wednesday that it would make games available on Amazon Prime Video for an additional cost.
Brian Herman, a lawyer for Diamond, said the company鈥檚 move to a model with cable and streaming options would help preserve the company for the future.
鈥淲e are here today to reorganize this business, and we are going to reorganize this business,鈥 he said, calling their emergence from bankruptcy 鈥渘othing short of a miracle.鈥
Diamond filed for bankruptcy in March 2023, raising questions about what would happen to the 15 NBA teams, 14 NHL teams and 14 MLB teams under its umbrella that depended on Diamond to air their games, and paid them for the right to do so.
The bankruptcy, while expected, accelerated conversations about new distribution models. The MLB, for example, beefed up its office with broadcast executives and game-planning in case of Diamond鈥檚 demise, and in anticipation of launching an MLB-owned broadcast entity.
Fans and players stand for the national anthem in a sparsely-filled Busch Stadium as the 最新杏吧原创 Cardinals face the San Diego Padres on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024 at Busch Stadium.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
鈥淥ver the long term, we will reimagine our distribution model to address the changing media climate and ultimately reach an even larger number of fans,鈥 the league said in a statement at the time.
Diamond reached deals to continue broadcasting MLB, NBA and NHL games through the 2023 season.
But the ability of Diamond to emerge from bankruptcy came into question in May 2023 when Comcast abruptly dropped Bally at the beginning of the baseball season, annoying fans and angering the league.
Last month, Diamond announced that it had reached an agreement with the sports betting giant FanDuel to rename the network. The terms were not disclosed, but the deal allowed FanDuel to purchase up to 5% of equity in the company.
MLB attorneys cried foul, saying they鈥檇 been left in the dark about the deal.
Still, Judge Lopez approved it, and weeks later, the Cardinals joined FanDuel Sports Network, replacing their previous 15-year, $1.1 billion deal with Bally.
The new platform eliminates 鈥渂lackouts鈥 for local viewers found on other networks that prevent fans from watching games while they鈥檙e in certain geographic areas.
The announcement didn鈥檛 immediately assuage MLB attorneys or the Atlanta Braves, which filed objections to the Diamond restructuring plan. They said they had 鈥済rave concerns鈥 Diamond would 鈥渇ind themselves once again in financial distress and/or bankruptcy court in the near future.鈥
But, on Wednesday, Diamond announced a partnership with streaming giant Amazon Prime to allow subscribers access to the FanDuel network.
That same day, MLB and Braves withdrew their objections, paving the way for a largely uncontested hearing Thursday in Houston bankruptcy court.
Scores of lawyers gathered in the courtroom and online to praise the judge, accountants, attorneys, teams and Diamond employees who shepherded the company through the process.
鈥淭oday is a landmark day for Diamond,鈥 CEO David Preschlack said in a statement, 鈥渁s we embark on a new path for our business.鈥
Ten Hochman: It鈥檚 Kent Bottenfield鈥檚 birthday 鈥 his gift to STL was his 1999 win total. Here鈥檚 why.
Cardinals and Blues games will soon be available on Prime Video, too
Diamond Sports Group, the parent company of FanDuel Sports Network, announced a deal Wednesday that will make the network available on the Prime Video streaming service.
FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, which airs Blues, Cardinals and 最新杏吧原创 University games, is among the 16 regional sports networks that will now be available as an add-on subscription via for customers living within each team鈥檚 designated geographic area.
Fans will be able to watch games as well as pre- and postgame shows directly through Prime Video.
FanDuel Sports Network, which was known as Bally Sports until a recent name change, has struggled with distribution in recent years, leaving many fans in the dark.
The move comes on the heels of last week鈥檚 announcement that Diamond and the Cardinals reached a new multi-year rights deal that keeps the Redbirds on FanDuel Sports and offers direct-to-consumer streaming, cutting out the middle man.
This new deal won鈥檛 necessarily be the most cost-competitive option vs. purchasing access as consumers would still need to subscribe to Prime Video then pay the yet-to-be determined price for the FanDuel add-on.
Prime Video is included as part of the , which costs $14.99 per month or $139 annually. Prime Video is also available for $8.99/month as a standalone without a Prime membership.
鈥淧artnering with Prime Video, one of the largest streaming destinations in the U.S., and making FanDuel Sports Network available as part of their add-on subscriptions, creates a tremendous opportunity for us to expand our reach and better connect with viewers,鈥 David Preschlack, CEO of Diamond, said in a statement.
No details on when FanDuel would be available on Prime Video were released Wednesday, nor were financial details of the agreement.
Amazon reportedly to invest in Diamond Sports earlier this year.
Diamond has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings since March 2023, a result of dwindling cable viewership over the years.
A final hearing on Diamond鈥檚 bankruptcy reorganization plan is scheduled for Thursday. The company said in a financial filing last year that it had debt of $8.67 billion.
In a continuing expansion of its consumer offerings, Diamond announced on Tuesday that it will offer single-game pricing for NBA and NHL games beginning Dec. 5.
Viewers will have the option to buy a single Blues game for $6.99, in addition to monthly and season pass subscription plans.
FanDuel Sports Network is also available in 最新杏吧原创 on Spectrum, U-verse TV, DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and Fubo.
FanDuel takes over Diamond Sports' sponsorship packages, renaming Bally Sports RSNs to FanDuel, while Shaq partners with DraftKings. More updates inside!
5 things to know about Michael Gomez, signed by Cardinals to minor-league deal
In a move that adds depth to the relief options in the upper minors, the Cardinals signed right-handed reliever Michael Gomez to a minor league contract. The deal, reported last week during the GM Meetings in San Antonio, Texas, will include a non-roster invite to big-league spring training for the 28-year-old Gomez.
The 28-year-old righty has played six seasons in the minors, including time with the Rays, Phillies, and Yankees organizations. He spent all of the 2024 season with the Rays鈥 Class AAA affiliate, with whom he posted a 5.01 ERA and struck out 68 batters in 55 2/3 innings.聽
Over his career, the righty has a 4.20 ERA and 277 strikeouts in 276 2/3 innings as a reliever.
Here are five things to know about the righty:
The righty鈥檚 repertoire
Gomez, a 6-foot-3 right-hander, utilizes a pitch mix that includes a fastball, cutter, sinker, changeup, and curveball. This past season, his cutter and fastball, respectively, accounted for 31.4% and 30.9% of the pitchers he threw, per Statcast.
A season ago, Gomez鈥檚 cutter usage made up 15.6% of his pitch usage while his fastball accounted for 5.5%. He leaned primarily on a sinker (39.1%) and curveball (23%) combo in 2023.
With his cutter and fastball more prominent in his attack this past season, Gomez kept opposing hitters to a .250 batting average against him. Gomez kept opposing hitters to a .203 batting average with his fastball, per Statcast. The cutter kept hitters to a .242 average.
He saw his groundball rate dip from 55.2% a year ago to 33.3%. Despite a jump from 23.2% to 40.1% with his fly ball rate, he shaved his home runs per nine innings from 0.93 to 0.81.
Because of his cutter and fastball-heavy approach, Gomez鈥檚 changeup (9.6%) and curveball (4.9%) became his two least utilized pitches.
An improved K-BB%
The shift in approach with his repertoire aided Gomez in posting a 27.8% strikeout rate and 9.0% walk rate, both of which were his best marks since arriving in Class AAA in 2022. He also finished the 2024 season with a career-best 10.99 strikeouts per nine innings and with a strikeout-to-walk ratio that went from 5.8% a year ago to 18.8% this year, per FanGraphs.
Gomez鈥檚 fastball, which averaged 91.9 mph and touched 96 mph, led to a 35.8% whiff rate, per Statcast. The 28-year-old鈥檚 fastball was a putaway pitch for 36 of the 68 strikeouts he collected. His cutter was used as a putaway pitch for 13 of his strikeouts while his changeup, which had a 32.1% whiff rate, was used to collect 10 strikeouts.
Gomez鈥檚 3.56 walks per nine innings were his fewest in a full season since he ended 2021 with 2.57 walks per nine innings. The reduced walks helped Gomez keep batters to a .332 on-base percentage 鈥 his lowest on-base percentage allowed since 2021.
Post-IL effectiveness
After returning to Durham鈥檚 bullpen in early June following nearly two weeks on the injured list, Gomez maintained a 4.63 ERA and kept hitters to a .214/.283/.374 over his final 35 innings of the season. Before he landed on the IL, Gomez had a 5.66 ERA in 20 2/3 innings, and opposing hitters combined for a .306/.404/.400 slash line against him.
In the 26 games he pitched in after the IL stint, Gomez induced less swing-and-miss but cut his hard-hit rate from 38.5% to 29.5%, per Statcast.聽
Gomez increased his cutter usage enough to make it his primary pitch once he returned from injury. Over that stretch, the cutter kept hitters to a .216 average after they batted .364 against before the injury, which was unspecified.
Lefty splits
For the third consecutive season, left-handers combined to produce an on-base plus slugging percentage above .840 against Gomez.
Gomez allowed left-handers to reach base against him at a .366 clip after allowing a .395 on-base percentage in 2023 and a .424 on-base percentage in 2022.
In the 2023 and 2022 seasons, lefties slugged .467 and .419, respectively, vs. Gomez. This past season, Gomez allowed lefties to slug .474. Left-handers were responsible for 10 of the 14 doubles he surrendered.
When it came to the righty鈥檚 cutter, lefties slugged .714 with a .364 batting average when offering at that pitch. A season ago, left-handers jumped on Gomez鈥檚 cutter for a .818 slugging percentage and a .429 average.听听
Gomez鈥檚 path to the Cardinals organization
Before turning pro, Gomez pitched in three seasons with Cal Poly Pomona, where he had a 5.74 ERA in 45 appearances 鈥 33 of which came as a reliever. He signed with the Phillies as an undrafted free agent in July 2018 and began his career in professional baseball that summer with an assignment to rookie ball.
During his first full season in 2019, Gomez went from short-season A-ball to Class High-A. Gomez did not pitch in affiliated baseball in 2020 as minor league baseball had its season canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. He was released by the Phillies in May 2020.聽
After signing a minor league deal with the Yankees in February 2021, the righty reached Class AAA in New York鈥檚 system by 2022 and returned to that level in 2023. Gomez, an Upland, California native, was left unprotected from the Rule 5 draft following the 2023 season and was selected by the Rays in the first round of the minor league phase of the Rule 5 process.
Gomez received a non-roster invite to Rays camp before being assigned to Class AAA Durham for the 2024 season.
