ST. LOUIS -- While the Cardinals' winter work is all but certain to include the acquisition of at least one late-inning reliever, the organization will also have some critical decisions to make regarding the fits of those returning.
Among the more intriguing cases is Sam Tuivailala. After years of yo-yoing between Triple-A and the Majors, he will enter 2018 out of Minor League options. That means that if the Cardinals do not include Tuivailala on their 25-man roster, he would be placed on waivers and available for another team to claim.
That's an unlikely path for the Cardinals to pick, as Tuivailala has given them reason to consider him as a viable option for the Opening Day bullpen.