Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi reported Wednesday night that the Cardinals are considering many different options to add a top-end starting pitcher. According to the pair, the team’s targets include free agent and St. Louis native Max Scherzer as well as potential trades for the Phillies’ Cole Hamels or Tigers’ David Price, although the club’s preference is to add another left-hander (which Scherzer is not).

Price (above), 29, is entering his last year of arbitration eligibility on a Detroit Tigers club which is certainly in win-now mode, in sharp contrast to the Phillies. According to the report, the Cardinals could try to acquire Price and sign him to a short term deal, something that could seem attractive to Price partly due to the fact that he makes his home in Nashville, which is in just a five hour drive from St. Louis. Price, who tallied 15 wins over almost 250 innings in 2015, is projected to earn $18.9 million in arbitration, according to MLB Trade Rumors. For what it’s worth, a Tigers official said on Wednesday, “We’re happy with our starting pitching. We are not pursuing any upgrades,” but the Tigers have not approached Price about a contract extension so far, according to the report. Rosenthal and Morosi stated that the Cardinals “presumably would acquire Price with the intent of signing him long term,” and that Price would “almost certainly” be open to a move to the National League.

Hamels, 31, does not have the Cardinals on his no-trade list, but the Phillies would likely be looking for a trade package involving a young pitcher such as Marco Gonzales or Carlos Martinez along with a young outfielder like Stephen Piscotty or Randal Grichuk. Rosenthal and Morosi added that the club has also had interest in speedy center fielder Peter Bourjos, who doesn’t appear to have a clear role for 2015. Hamels, who posted a 2.46 ERA over 204 2/3 innings in 2014, is owed $90 million over the next four years, although he would reportedly welcome a deal to St. Louis, where is wife is from.

Scherzer, 30, graduated from Parkway Central High School and the University of Missouri, and has been connected with the Cardinals at times over the offseason. Although he could be had for nothing but cash, that amount could be too high for the Redbirds, as Scherzer is reportedly seeking a contract worth around $200 million. Scherzer tallied 18 wins with 252 strikeouts over 220 1/3 innings last season for Detroit.

Rosenthal and Morosi cautioned that a deal doesn’t appear close at this time, and that it’s possible the club could decide that the cost, either in prospects or dollars (or both), is just too high. The pair does state that the team’s interest at least reflects concerns around the pitchers in the starting rotation not named Lance Lynn. Adam Wainwright is coming off a surgery to trim cartilage from his elbow, Michael Wacha dealt with a stress reaction in his right shoulder, John Lackey is entering his free-agent year, Carlos Martinez is an unproven starter, and Jaime Garcia can’t be counted on. However, if the right pieces fall into place, the team could have one of the best rotations in baseball. But that’s if the right pieces fall into place. Will the Cardinals take that chance, or acquire a high impact starter? We’ll just have to wait and see.

 

Feature image (Price) used under Creative Commons from Keith Allison. No changes made. Image License.

Hamels image: Used under Creative Commons from Keith Allison. No changes made. Image License.

Scherzer image: Used under Creative Commons from Keith Allison. No changes made. Image License.