The St. Louis Cardinals seem to have learned their lesson and have avoided higher priced relievers this offseason. Earlier in the offseason, I wrote an article examining expensive reliever signings since 2016 for both the Cardinals and the majors in general. To summarize, these signings have an overwhelming tendency to disappoint. The Cardinals decided not to risk a high-end bullpen signing and instead brought Drew VerHagen and Nick Wittgren to St. Louis. They could have signed Joe Kelly ($8.5 million AAV) or Brad Hand ($6 million AAV) or any of the other ten relievers who signed for an average annual value above $5 million.
The Cardinals Have Learned Their Lessons
