Kyle Lohse's fantastic 2012 season might have been a little too good for St. Louis. Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said Thursday that it is "probably unlikely" the 34-year-old right-hander will return in 2013.
Cardinals ‘unlikely’ to bring back Kyle Lohse
Kyle Lohse might have priced himself out of St. Louis’ range with a strong 2012 campaign.
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Lohse, who just completed the last year of a four-year, $41 million contract he signed with the Cardinals prior to the 2009 season, had career-best numbers in 2012. He won 16 games and posted career-highs in strikeouts, innings pitched, and strikeout-to-walk ratio. With a lack of top-flight pitching talent available, some expect the northpaw to command a C.J. Wilson-type contract on the free-agent market, in the $75 million range.
The 34-year-old might see a slight uptick in his stock based on his postseason performance. Lohse pitched well in the NLDS against the Nationals, tossing seven innings of two-hit ball and allowed just one earned run on a homer. However, the righty didn't look as strong in the NLCS. Though he allowed just one run over 5⅔ innings in Game One, he walked five and gave up 12 hits. In the deciding Game Seven, the Giants ripped Lohse for five runs on six hits.
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