The St. Louis Cardinals have begun work on what is going to be a crucial offseason. That will include some trades, but it will also include them being more active in free agency.
The Cardinals only signed one free agent last winter, that being Phil Maton, who was later traded to the Texas Rangers. They need starting pitching, but bullpen help isn’t off the table.
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch listed a few relievers that could be of use to St. Louis, and one of them is former Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks, who is a St. Louis native.
Pete Fairbanks Homecoming Would Make Sense For Cardinals
Sep 13, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Pete Fairbanks (29) celebrates after defeating the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Fairbanks had a club option for 2026 with the Rays but ultimately had it declined, making him a free agent. He went 4-5 with a 2.83 ERA in 61 appearances and also recorded 27 saves during the regular season.
The Cardinals traded Maton, Steven Matz and Ryan Helsley at the deadline this past season as part of their rebuild, so adding a little more experience to the bullpen would be a major plus.
The 31-year-old right-hander is also familiar with president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, who was a top executive in Tampa Bay during Fairbanks’ time there.
The Cardinals do need experience in their bullpen, and Fairbanks can provide that without breaking the bank or even derailing the Cardinals plans to rebuild. It also would make for a nice homecoming story for the veteran right-hander.
If the Cardinals fall out of contention by the trade deadline in 2026, they could flip Fairbanks to a contender and bring back some prospects that would help accelerate the rebuild in the next few years.
There is a lot of work to be done in St. Louis this winter, but Bloom hasn’t closed off any avenue of adding pitching to this roster, even though they are not expected to be a contender in 2026.
The Cardinals will be a very interesting team to watch this winter as they chart a new course and focus on the future rather than the present.
Even if they don’t contend, Fairbanks could significantly boost the Cardinals bullpen and give them the veteran experience that they would be looking for in order to strengthen the staff, as well as the clubhouse environment for next season.
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