Cardinals Are “Kicking Tires” On Arthur Rhodes

Tony LaRussa's affinity for left-handed relievers is no secret, and Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (on Twitter) that the Cardinals are "kicking tires" on Arthur Rhodes. He is scheduled to become a free agent today.

Rhodes, 41, was cut by the Rangers following their acquisitions of Mike Adams and Koji Uehara at the trade deadline. He held left-handed batters to a .217 batting average, but they also posted a .310 OBP and .405 SLG, less than stellar marks. The Rangers are on the hook for the rest of Rhodes' $3.9MM salary this year; any team that signs him will only be responsible for the pro-rated portion of the league minimum.

The Yankees are said to have some interest in Rhodes as well. His agent says the veteran lefty is expected to make a decision about his next team tomorrow, according to Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter).