The St. Louis Cardinals missed the postseason for the fourth straight year in 2026. Their main problem was their bullpen, which posted a 4.40 ERA, the fifth-worst in the National League. That is also going to be their main focus this offseason as the lockout nears.

They need a right-handed option that can be used late in games and potentially even close if necessary when Riley O'Brien needs a day off. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that this could lead the Cardinals to a familiar face, and one that they are showing interest in already.

"If an agent had a free-agent right-handed reliever, there was a good chance the Cardinals (and more than a dozen other teams) had a meeting with them," Goold wrote. "The Cardinals are looking for a veteran right-hander with late-game experience to bring some stability to the back end of the bullpen. This is the fourth consecutive year that they’re looking to fill the role previously held by Andrew Kittredge, Phil Maton, and, most recently Ryne Stanek.

"One potential fit being discussed by the Cardinals is a familiar one: Kittredge."

Andrew Kittredge could be just what Cardinals are looking for

Kittredge spent the 2024 season with the Cardinals after being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays. That was a move that had Bloom's fingerprints on it, despite John Mozeliak still being in charge at the time.

Bloom had drafted and developed Kittredge while at the helm of the Rays. The 36-year-old posted a 2.80 ERA that year for St. Louis. He pitched with the Baltimore Orioles in 2026 and posted a 3.54 ERA while recording 11 saves.

So, he is somebody that is capable of closing if need be, and pairing him with O'Brien could provide a big boost for the bullpen. When healthy, he has been one of the most durable bullpen arms in all of Major League Baseball, so there are a lot of perks to a potential reunion with the Cardinals.

St. Louis had a strong bullpen in 2024 with Kittredge paired along with Ryan Helsley, and a presence such as his could transform the bullpen.

The Cardinals don't have a lot of time if they want to make moves before the lockout, but this isn't something that will force them to break the bank, so it will be interesting to see if they can get something done in the weeks leading up to the lockout.