It looks like the St. Louis Cardinals are about to rebuild, but it’s unclear how extensive the change will be. The Cardinals will consider trading for players in their arbitration years, such as Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan, as well as players who are overpaid, such as Nolan Arenado.
Could one of the Cardinals’ young pitchers be traded before he ever faces arbitration, though? That’s Christopher Kline’s argument on FanSided.
As part of the reconstruction, Kline said Wednesday that the Cardinals will eventually move left-handed pitcher Matthew Liberatore, who is only 25 and won’t be eligible for free agency until 2030.
“Liberatore leads all starters with a 3.96 ERA and 1.28 WHIP over 109.0 innings, making him one of the few somewhat reliable choices in the Cardinals rotation this season. Because he has a contract that expires in 2029, he may play a role in the Cardinals’ long-term ambitions,” Kline said.
Nevertheless, Liberatore (tends to permit) heavy contact even though he can have batters chipping at pitches beyond the zone. A pitcher like Liberatore has a clear ceiling, and even if he may be a consistent starter for the next ten years, St. Louis could be better off cashing in now while his value is still relatively high rather than waiting for MLB batters to discover him.”
Liberatore appears to have made significant strides this season and is for the first time seeming to be a dependable member of a major league rotation, as seen by his 4.60 career ERA during portions of his four seasons with the Cardinals.
Does that imply that now is the ideal moment to take advantage of Liberatore’s worth this offseason? It’s undoubtedly a dangerous move because, should he continue to progress, the Cardinals may appear completely stupid for having traded for a young, manageable player at a time when that’s what every club strives for.
