In an appearance on the "Cardinal Territory" podcast, Matt Holliday discussed what the Cardinals could do with recent signing Ryne Stanek.
It's not a secret the St. Louis Cardinals are currently in the middle of a top-to-bottom rebuild.
St. Louis has dealt away several of its best players the past year, including first baseman/catcher Willson Contreras, starting pitcher Sonny Gray and closer Ryan Helsley. The Cardinals managed to net several minor league prospects and major league starting pitchers, Richard Fitts and Hunter Dobbins.
Dobbins is currently recovering from a torn ACL he suffered with the Boston Red Sox this past season.
St. Louis could make more trades between now and the 2026 trade deadline in July. In the intermediary, the Cardinals made multiple signings this offseason that could help them add more assets for the future.
St. Louis signed starting pitcher Dustin May to a one-year, $12.5 million contract with the reported interest that the organization could flip him at the '26 deadline if he has a solid year.
The Cardinals also signed right-handed reliever Ryne Stanek to a one-year, $3.5 million contract. According to comments made on the "Cardinal Territory" podcast by former St. Louis hitter and World Series champion Matt Holliday, the organization could have a similar intention for Stanek.
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"I think (Stanek) a candidate for a rebound of a really good year," Holliday said on the Cardinal Territory podcast. " ... These are the kind of signings where, if you're not competing and the deadline closes in you can flip him for a minor league prospect, probably a minor league pitching prospect. $3.5 million is nothing on this payroll. So you get a guy that throws (100 mph), that strikes people out. If he gets his stuff back together and goes out and has a fairly dominating season, he's the kind of guy you trade at the deadline and you continue to build your farm system and add pieces for the next few years."
Stanek spent the last year-and-a-half with the New York Mets after being traded to the Big Apple by the Seattle Mariners during the 2024 deadline.
During his time with the Mets, Stanek posted a 5.47 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 72.1 innings pitched across 82 appearances. He had three saves in nine opportunities.
Stanek was originally picked in the first round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays out of Arkansas. He made his major league debut in 2017.
For his career, Stanek has a 3.85 ERA and has fanned 531 batters across 458.1 innings in 466 outings (56 starts).
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