The Cardinals have agreed to a minor league deal with righty Zach McAllister, the team announced this morning. He’ll report to Major League Spring Training and provide some depth in the rotation and bullpen.
Three full seasons have passed since McAllister last pitched in the Majors. He spent some time with the Phillies organization in 2021 but logged just 10 2/3 innings in the minors. The 34-year-old was a mainstay on the Cleveland pitching staff from 2012-17, first spending some time in the rotation before solidifying himself as a quality reliever. From 2015-17, McAllister posted a 2.99 ERA with a 26.1% strikeout rate against an 8.6% walk rate — often pitching more than an inning at a time.
Now 34 year old, McAllister will give St. Louis some depth both in the rotation and in the bullpen. The Cards’ rotation is largely set, with Jack Flaherty, Adam Wainwright, Steven Matz, Dakota Hudson and Miles Mikolas the likeliest quintet to start games. Righty Drew VerHagen, signed to a two-year deal after a strong run in Japan, could also vie for some rotation work but may begin in the bullpen. In-house options like Jake Woodford and Johan Oviedo add further depth to the rotation, as does non-roster invitee Aaron Brooks. McAllister has a ways to go before he pushes his way into consideration for a big league roster spot, but he’ll give the Cards some experience depth to stash in Triple-A Memphis even if he doesn’t make the club out of camp.