The St. Louis Cardinals will enter this offseason with plenty of questions. Holding a 54-70 record after a trade deadline sell off, the Cardinals were one of the most disappointing teams in the MLB this season.

However, St. Louis believes they can compete as early as next year. In fact, President John Mozeliak said that the Cardinals will pursue numerous top flight pitchers via free agency or trade, with the Los Angeles Dodgers Julio Urias, the San Diego Padres Blake Snell and the Philadelphia Phillies Aaron Nola as their highest priorities, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

All three pitchers are set to become free agents this upcoming season. While Mozeliak said the team is open to trades, they seem more willing to give out a major contract to one of the best starting pitchers in the free agent class. Any of the three would give St. Louis the pitching boost they desperately need.

The Cardinals as a whole rank 23rd in the MLB with their 4.62 ERA. They rank second-worst in the league by allowing an opponent's batting average of .273. St. Louis has done a fantastic job of limiting the long ball, as their 125 home runs allowed are the lowest in the league. However, it's clear that the Cardinals need more pitching to return to the postseason.

Mozeliak thinks that return could take place as early as 2024. The Cardinals will at least enter the offseason with an aggressive mentality and will look to add a true ace to their current middling rotation.