It should not be a surprise that the St. Louis Cardinals are looking to sell. The surprise could come from how exactly they are looking to do it.
According to Jon Morosi from MLB Network, the Cardinals are willing to listen to offers for their young position players. However, if the Cardinals are going to trade those young hitters, they have a specific demand – they want controllable arms in return.
Finding a match for St. Louis Cardinals trade hopes
Such a request makes sense despite several top prospects getting closer to the majors. While Matthew Liberatore has been a disappointment, there is hope that their wave of pitching prospects will develop as hoped. Tink Hence, Gordon Graceffo, and Michael McGreevy could all play important roles in their future.
This does not mean that the Cardinals are content with what they have. Morosi had further reported that they had reached out to the Mariners despite it being clear that George Kirby is off limits. As Miles Mikolas is the only pitcher with guaranteed money for 2024 who is assured of a spot in the rotation. Even if that trio of prospects is ready for next year, the Cardinals will need to find another arm or two. Steven Matz clearly is not the answer.
The Marlins could be a potential match. Despite their offseason lineup moves, they rank 12th in the National League in runs and are ninth in OPS. They also have plenty of controllable arms that could be moved for the right player or players. A deal between the two teams could pay dividends for both sides for years.
The St. Louis Cardinals are looking to trade their young hitters for controllable pitching. They may be able to do just that at the deadline.
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