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St. Louis Cardinals: Evaluating All the Starting Pitchers in This Year’s Camp

By Patrick Karraker

Mar 12, 2016; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Lance Lynn (31) during the game against the Houston Astros at Roger Dean Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Astros 4-3. Lynn will miss the 2016 season after having Tommy John surgery. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2016; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Lance Lynn (31) during the game against the Houston Astros at Roger Dean Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Astros 4-3. Lynn will miss the 2016 season after having Tommy John surgery. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 29, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Alex Reyes (61) is congratulated by starting pitcher Carlos Martinez (18) and starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) after knocking in a RBI during the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 29, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Alex Reyes (61) is congratulated by starting pitcher Carlos Martinez (18) and starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) after knocking in a RBI during the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

We know that four of the Cardinals’ starters are locked into rotation spots heading into spring training, but who will occupy the fifth spot?

In a break from recent tradition, the St. Louis Cardinals went into spring training with no real controversy over which pitchers would make up their starting rotation in 2016. Despite the fact that the Cardinals’ rotation had been the most effective in the majors in 2015, posting a collective 2.99 ERA, the lack of competition proved to be a bad thing in 2016. With Adam Wainwright returning to replace John Lackey in the rotation and Mike Leake being signed to take Lance Lynn’s spot as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, the rotation pitched for a 4.33 ERA last season as the Cardinals missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

Despite the overall lack of success, the Cardinals are expected to bring back a very similar rotation in 2017. They traded Jaime Garcia–who was bumped from the rotation last August–to the Atlanta Braves this offseason, so Lynn will return to an open spot among the starting five. Alex Reyes may steal Michael Wacha’s starting spot, but other than that, the Cardinals will hope that Adam Wainwright and Mike Leake rebound from poor 2016 seasons while Carlos Martinez continues to be the rotation’s ace.

With the Cardinals now having announced their spring training roster, we’ll take a look at each pitcher who will be attending major-league camp and decide where they fit into the Cards’ 2017 plans:

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