It’s obvious that the Cardinals starting rotation looks a little bit better than it did last season.

Of course, with how last season went, it couldn’t get much worse.

The signing of Sonny Gray, who finished second in the AL Cy Young race in 2023, was arguably their biggest move of the offseason. However, while other moves were made to help returning starters Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz, there’s still a glaring flaw in the Cardinals’ rotation: the age.

While Gray gives them a true ace in the rotation, he has already turned 34 years old. Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn are both 36, and to make matters worse, Lynn will be turning 37 in May.

Believe it or not, their youngest starter is Matz, who is set to turn 33 this season.

The concerns for the new pitchers (and I use the term “new” very loosely) go beyond their age.

Lynn and Gibson posted ERAs of 5.73 and 4.73 last year, respectively. Mikolas also struggled and is 35 years old. Aside from Gray, the Cardinals rotation is questionable. The best ability is availability, something that has plagued Cardinals’ pitchers for years now.

While the newly signed pitchers will give the Cardinals innings, the quality of those innings isn’t certain. And the last thing St. Louis can do is have to rely on the bullpen to eat the majority of the innings. If you can’t get at least 5-6 quality innings out of your starters in 2024, you’re in for a hell of a time.

What would have made more sense is if the Cardinals had waited a little bit longer and added a second more consistent starter. Guys like Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell are still available, but it seems unlikely the Cardinals will make any more moves. Besides, the Cardinals aren’t always willing to spend big on pitchers, which casts some doubt over potential signings in the future.

The Cardinals will instead enter the season with an aging rotation, with an injury history and quality innings questions, all of which could come back to haunt them in 2024.

Photo creator: Jeff Curry | Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports