NL Central Notes: Card Rotation, McCutchen, Cubs

The Cardinals are well-prepared to once again compete for top honors in National League Central, but they face some key decisions a little over a year from now. Of their starting rotation, Stephen Matz is signed for the 2023 season onwards, Jordan Montgomery, Adam Wainwright (who will retire), Miles Michaelas When Jack Flaherty All are set to become free agents in November.

Replacing the starting four pitchers in free agency is no easy task. Dakota Hudson and outlook Matthew Liberatore As an option, it should come as no surprise that St Louis Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold has reported that the team plans to begin talks over an extension with the two starters this spring.

As Gould points out, Mikolas and Montgomery look like obvious candidates, and Flaherty is also a possibility.He’s been dealing with injuries for the past few years. After joining the Yankees at Deadline, he started 11 games on the card and posted a 3.11 ERA.He’s been a steady mid-rotation arm for the last few years, agreeing to a $10 million salary in his final year before free agency. Taijuan Walker When Jameson Tailon It’s been a hot commodity in free agency this year, and Montgomery is likely to fit into that frame next winter.

The 34-year-old Mikolas posted a 3.29 ERA in 202 and 1/3 innings last season. Another such year in 2023 would give him a nice payday later in his career, so perhaps the Cardinals could get ahead of it and lock Mikolas out for a few more seasons.

Below are my notes around NL Central.

• Pirates moves to revive franchise icon Andrew McCutchen After all, a return to Pittsburgh seemed unlikely until New Year’s Day when McCutchen sent a text message to Pirates owner Bob Nutting that he wanted to return to Pittsburgh to finish his career. rice field. As McKee reported, Nutting reached out to general manager Ben Cherrington, who met McCutchen for coffee in the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh to see if the deal would go through. McCutchen’s chances of returning to the Pirates in 2024 are likely to be upended at Deadline. McKay adds that he sees similarities in the 2013 MVP’s rebuilding of Pittsburgh’s 2009-12 season. straight to the playoffs. The Pirates don’t seem ready to return to playoff baseball just yet, but it would be quite a fairy tale if McCutchen were to be part of the next playoff team in Pittsburgh.
• The Cubs have been aggressive in free agency this winter as they look to return to the top of Central. Dansby SwansonJameson Taillon, Drew Smileywhile also adding something like Cody Bellinger About important transactions. The team currently has room to wiggle a bit under the first luxury tax marker, but will surely come closer in the coming years as they add and deal with free agency. Nico Hernerarbitration is instituted. Owner Tom Ricketts has spoken out about the team’s strategic approach to the luxury tax as it moves forward, according to a report by Megan Montemuro of the Chicago Tribune.“There will always be places we go in the near future. We have to be careful about how long and how much.” Ricketts said.

  The Cubs’ luxury tax salary is currently $215 million (according to Fangraphs calculations), with an initial threshold of $233 million.