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Stanek’s 4.02 ERA in 70 appearances last season was his low mark since he came in at 1.15 for the 2022 Astros. The Cardinals, though, are going to buy him out for $1 million instead of paying him $6 million for 2027.

Stanek returns to a 5.12 ERA in 31 2/3 innings pitched. He’s not really part of the Cardinals late-game plans at this point. Congrats to him on the new child.

Congrats to Stanek. He’ll rejoin the club in the near future.

After Riley O’Brien and Jojo Romero worked scoreless seventh and eighth innings, respectively, Stanek was expected to get the ninth. However, the Cardinals expanded their lead from two runs to four in the bottom of the eighth, causing the team to sit him down and get up Svanson. Svanson went on to allow a single, a walk and another single while getting two outs. Stanek took over then and gave up hits to Carson Williams and Nick Fortes to tie the game before retiring Ben Williamson to finish the inning. For the optimist, it’s good that Stanek was the Cardinals’ preferred closer for the second straight game, and the blown save was more about Svanson’s performance than Stanek’s. Still, Stanek is probably the Cardinals’ third-best reliever at best — he posted a 5.09 ERA the last two years — and it’s not like he has a history of closing that somehow should provide him with an edge here. Probably half the reason he was the first choice in the ninth is because the Cardinals hope it will get them a better prospect in return when they try to move him in July.

Matt Svanson, who had been a popular sleeper candidate for saves in the Cardinals’ bullpen, came on in the sixth inning of this one and allowed three runs while recording only one out. After the Cardinals took the lead in the sixth inning, it was JoJo Romero to start the seventh, turning it over to Riley O’Brien for four outs and then ultimately to Stanek to get the final three. It wasn’t the smoothest of outings, as he issued three walks in the frame, but he struck out Joshua Palacios with the bases loaded to close it out. He could be worth a look if speculating on saves in deeper leagues.

Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom told reporters the deal is now official. The hard-throwing 34-year-old middle reliever fortifies St. Louis’ bullpen after recording an underwhelming 5.30 ERA — 4.40 FIP — 1.57 WHIP and 58/32 K/BB ratio across 56 innings for the Mets last year. He’s been a durable innings-eater, making 55 appearances or more in each of the past five seasons, and has some experience in high-leverage spots. He isn’t a threat to close with the Cardinals but it wouldn’t be shocking if he wound up vulturing the occasional save from Riley O’Brien or JoJo Romero.

Financial teams have not been disclosed as of yet, but it’d be a surprise if this wasn’t a one-year deal. Stanek forged a disappointing 5.30 ERA in his time with the Mets in 2025, but the 34-year-old still throws hard and can generate whiffs. He’ll have a chance to be a high-leverage option for St. Louis in 2026.

Stanek, 34, has had several teams showing interest in him as of late, including the Cubs. The 34-year-old right-hander would have a chance to be a high-leverage option for St. Louis in 2026, but it seems a little unlikely he’d be competing for saves.

The report from North Side Baseball’s Matthew Trueblood here is extra interesting, because it suggests the Cubs are looking for just one more reliever on a major league contract. If that’s the case, one would think they should try to do much better than the 34-year-old Stanek, who has finished with ERAs of 4.09, 4.88 and 5.30 while pitching for contenders the last three seasons. That said, his stuff numbers are still very good, and the Cubs might think they have a fix for him.