Report: Cardinals agree to deal with veteran reliever Stanek

The St. Louis Cardinals have added some firepower to their bullpen by agreeing to a contract with free-agent right-hander Ryne Stanek, sources told Robert Murray of FanSided.

Full terms of the agreement aren't yet known. Completion of the deal is pending a physical, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

Stanek, who was born in St. Louis, is coming off a down 2025 campaign with the New York Mets. In 65 appearances, he posted a 5.30 ERA and 1.57 WHIP - both career-worst marks in a full season - along with a 4.40 FIP, 58 strikeouts, and 32 walks. His 5.1 BB/9 rate was his highest since 2022.

However, there were a few positives to be found in his 2025 season. Stanek's fastball, his main weapon, averaged 98.5 mph and sat in the 96th percentile, while he placed above the 70th percentile in chase and whiff percentage. He also found success with his slider, holding opponents to a .184 average and .286 SLG against the breaking pitch. Stanek was effective in limiting the long ball as well, allowing just seven homers in 56 innings.

The rebuilding Cardinals are likely hoping they can help Stanek rediscover the form that made him a dominant reliever earlier this decade, with eyes towards flipping him at the trade deadline. He'll likely have plenty of chances to establish himself as a late-inning weapon in a bullpen that features Riley O'Brien, JoJo Romero, and Matt Svanson, among others.

Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom is familiar with Stanek, having been a member of the Tampa Bay Rays' front office when they drafted him in 2012.

Stanek owns a lifetime 3.85 ERA, 4.17 FIP, and 1.32 WHIP with 532 strikeouts and 14 saves across parts of nine big-league seasons with five teams. Excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, he's made at least 59 appearances in every season since 2018.