For the third straight year, the St. Louis Cardinals have missed the postseason. They failed to put together a competitive product this season, leading to a very important offseason.
Chaim Bloom has now taken over for John Mozeliak as the team's newest president of baseball operations. One of his biggest tasks will be getting their starting rotation back to being a powerful presence.
Big-name pitchers like Framber Valdez and Dylan Cease will become free agents once the season comes to an end. However, they are likely not the names that the Cardinals will pursue over the winter.
Cardinals urged to take closer look at swingman pitcher over the winter
One pitcher who has taken the starting pitcher and relief pitcher hybrid role in stride has been Nick Martinez. The Cincinnati Reds pitcher has done well switching between both roles over the years, and could be a great option for St. Louis, via Redbird Rants' Josh Jacobs.
"Martinez would make a ton of sense for St. Louis if he is open to coming to the Cardinals and his market doesn't get too big. If the Cardinals were to sign Martinez, he would likely be a starter for them to begin the year, but if a prospect like (Quinn) Mathews, Liam Doyle, Tink Hence, or someone else is ready to start making starts with St. Louis, Martinez can slide back into the bullpen like he has before."
Martinez could start the year as the team's starter, and could transition back into the bullpen if any of their top prospects get the call-up. He could prove to be a huge asset for the Cardinals if they can sign him to a contract over the winter.