The St. Louis Cardinals have had a busy offseason to date, having traded three high-priced veterans to clear salary and create opportunities for young players. Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray are all gone, and the Cardinals are finally going forward with their rebuild.
However, they still have made some solid additions, including Dustin May and Ryne Stanek, and they aren’t done yet. They could use more starting pitching and a right-handed bat.
While there is no indication of this potentially happening, perhaps the Cardinals could take a look at Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young and two-time World Series champion, who also happens to be a St. Louis native.
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The Fit Makes Sense for Cardinals
Oct 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
After starting Game 7 of the World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays last fall, Scherzer would likely prefer a contender, which the Cardinals are not. However, there is one way that the Cardinals could sell Scherzer on St. Louis.
The obvious factor is that he was born and raised in St. Louis, and also originally drafted by the Cardinals in 2003. The Cardinals also still have a storied history full of great teams and great players.
While the Cardinals may not be a contender in 2026, they could also sell him on being a veteran voice in the clubhouse and somebody to mentor the young pitchers that they have. The 41-year-old is in the twilight of his career, and it would certainly be a nice touch for him to finish with the team he grew up cheering for.
While they can’t sell him on pitching for a contender, they could also promise to trade him at the deadline if they are out of the race. Surely, a lot of contenders would be interested in picking up Scherzer to gear up for a postseason run.
St. Louis may not be his first choice, but it would be a nice, feel-good story to see him wrap up his career in his hometown. It’s a longshot they’ll be able to sell him on coming to St. Louis, but it’s never impossible, especially if they promise to trade him if and when they fall out of the race.
It will be interesting to see what his market looks like, but fans would certainly be pleased to have Mad Max in St. Louis before he retires.
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