It’s unclear whether there will be room for Kyle Lohse in the Cardinals’ rotation next year following the extension signed by Jake Westbrook on Tuesday. Lohse, a free agent this offseason, told Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he hasn’t heard from the Cardinals about contract talks and doesn’t intend to initiate them. When agent Scott Boras asked Lohse if he wanted to talk to the Cardinals, the right-hander said he’d prefer to wait and see.
"I'm not going to them. I figure if they're interested, they'd come to me. That hasn't happened," Lohse said.
Lohse, now in the final season of a four-year, $41MM contract, has positioned himself for another multiyear deal in free agency. He's 33 years old with a 13-2 record and a 2.67 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 in 169 innings. He told Strauss he’s enjoyed his time in St. Louis and believes the current deal has benefitted both sides.
However, it doesn’t appear that Lohse fits in next season’s rotation. Westbrook, Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, Jaime Garcia and Chris Carpenter are the team’s leading rotation candidates and Joe Kelly, Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal are alternatives. The Cardinals could make Lohse a one-year qualifying offer after the season if they’re prepared to spend $13MM-plus on him in 2013. St. Louis won’t obtain draft pick compensation for losing Lohse unless he obtains a qualifying offer.
Lohse strikes me as a pretty safe qualifying offer candidate. Something tells me a pitcher in his 30’s is going to opt for a multiyear deal (with an AAV below 13 mil) over a one-year deal for $13MM.
I agree. Will happily welcome the pick.
Totally agree with this. Worst case scenario, he comes back for the same money on a one year deal and the rotation is incredibly deep. Best case, he declines, and the draft pick is ours.
He’s pitched too well and unfortunately is at an age where even good pitchers start to go downhill. I’d say thanks for the good years, and let some other team get a couple of good years out of him and a couple of likely bad years and let the Cardinals keep one or two of their young guys in the rotation instead.
As much as I hate it (something I wouldn’t have said 3 years ago), we’ve gotta let him walk. It’s nearing the time that the Cards have to put some of those cheap, controlled pitching prospects to the test. The only worry I have is the uncertainty surrounding the bulk of the rotation now. Will Carp ever be the same? How will Jaime’s arm hold up? Can Lynn repeat his performance next year? I’m confident in Lynn, but I’m iffy on Carp and Jaime.
I’m showing my age. Lohse was once traded for Rick Aguilera.
Dodgers should jump in on Kyle Lohse. I think he would fit well with the Dodgers.