ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The St. Louis Cardinals head into the offseason with expectations they will be shedding payroll and as part of those expectations, they will not pick up the team options of three pitchers.
The Cardinals announced Thursday they will not pick up the 2025 team options of starters Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson, along with the 2025 team option of reliever Keynan Middleton.
Derrick Goold, Cardinals writer for the St. Louis Post Dispatch was first to report of the moves.
Gibson and Lynn both had team options worth $12 million and $11 million respectively, while Middleton, who did not pitch for the Cardinals at all in 2024, had a team option worth $6 million.
All three players will instead receive a buyout worth $1 million each.
Gibson and Lynn both started the 2024 season with the Cardinals off rather strong with Gibson posting an 3.70 ERA through his first 15 starts, while Lynn posted a 3.59 ERA through his first 17 starts.
However, as the season wore on, both players started to face some troubles, with injuries limiting to Lynn to six starts after the Fourth of July with Lynn posting an 4.55 ERA and Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) of 5.33 in those six starts, while Gibson posted a 4.83 ERA and a FIP of 4.67 after July 1st.
With Lynn and Gibson options declined, it will leave a hole in back end the Cardinals rotation. For now, the Cardinals rotation currently consists of Miles Mikolas, Sonny Gray, and Erick Fedde, with Andre Pallante and Steven Matz at the moment looking like the leading 2025 candidates to nab the final two rotation spots.
Some young pitchers like Michael McGreevy, Drew Rom, Gordon Graceffo, Zack Thompson and Quinn Mathews will go into Spring Training next season with goals to make the Cardinals rotation.
Middleton did not play for the Cardinals in 2024 due to undergoing season-ending flexor repair surgery in June.
The Cardinals previously indicated that they are going to put significant investment into player development, as a result of that, they do anticipate a reduction of the payroll in 2025. With the options of Lynn, Gibson and Middleton all declined, the Cardinals will save about $29 million.
The Cardinals declining all three players options does not necessarily mean more payroll reduction isn't on the horizon. Gray, catcher Willson Contreras and third baseman Nolan Arenado will certainly be talked about as potential trade candidates this offseason, with the Cardinals setting towards a retool phase now for the foreseeable future.