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11 potential matches for the St. Louis Cardinals' latest deadline need

John Mozeliak noted the Cardinals have struggled against lefties, but will they look outside the organization to fix the problem?
ByScott Plaza|
Jun 16, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) and right fielder Taylor Ward (3) celebrate at home plate after Trout hit a two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Jun 16, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) and right fielder Taylor Ward (3) celebrate at home plate after Trout hit a two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
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Fits beyond 2025

These guys could fill in on this year's roster, either as a depth piece or as a potential starter while potentially being a fit for the team beyond just this season. The minor league depth with right-handed hitters in the Cardinals' system is severly lacking and these names could provide the opportunity to develop additional hitters or find lottery tickets elsewhere on the trade or free agent market.

Taylor Ward

Ward has been a solid offensive contributor since taking on a full-time role with the Angels in 2022. He has hit 20 or more homers in three of those years and is putting together a nice season despite a low batting average. Ward hits lefties well with an .807 OPS and is an average outfielder, so acquiring him could turn into a bigger role than a simple platoon split.

The 30-year-old has one more year of arbitration eligibility before becoming a free agent at the end of 2026 and is making just over $7.5 million this season. If the Cardinals were to trade for Ward, he could serve as a solid insurance option for Jordan Walker in right if his bat does not pick up when he returns from the IL. The Angels are only 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot and have not made their trade deadline plans public, but they have some costly pieces they may not mind moving for financial relief and prospect capital.

Adolis Garcia

Why not another reunion? Garcia had a small cup of coffee with the Cardinals in 2019 before being DFA'd and traded to the Rangers in the offseason. After latching on with Texas, Garcia took off as a superstar when he averaged over 30 homers and 15 stolen bases over four seasons. Like Ward, Garcia has another season of arbitration eligibility but is much more costly thanks to his high offensive output.

Garcia is playing the 2025 season on a $10.5 million salary after signing a two-year extension with Texas last year. However, the 32-year-old has been below average for each of those seasons, and with the Rangers fighting to remain in contention, they could dangle Garcia around the league to recoup some value. While he is only hitting .228 this season, he has cut his strikeout rate slightly and has still driven in 50 runs and hit 10 homers.

Bryan Reynolds

The Pirates are still stuck in neutral and appear willing to listen to any player on their roster not named Paul Skenes and Andrew McCutchen. This means that the switch-hitting Bryan Reynolds could be available at the right price to anyone around the league. Like Hays before, Reynolds plays in the Central as well. Unlike Hays, though, Reynolds has five years of control remaining thanks to a $100 million extension over a seven-year span.

This agreement could make the division deal less likely, as the Pirates would not want Reynolds to face them more than a dozen times a season over the next handful of years. His value may also be at his lowest thanks to being in the middle of the worst season of his career. While Reynolds has turned it on as of late, he is struggling with a .672 OPS, more than 130 points below his career average figure. The switch-hitter hits well from both sides of the plate but shows more pop from the left side. An acquisition of Reynolds would have to come with other players being moved because he would have to be starting every day to receive full value in any deal.

Dane Myers

Myers is already 29 years old, but he still has two more years of pre-arbitration team control since he played a total of 66 MLB games before carving out a role with the Miami Marlins this season. The late bloomer is having a very solid year, hitting .287 with a .732 OPS and 14 stolen bases. He swings at a lot of pitches but strikes out at an acceptable rate while mashing against lefties for his career.

Myers is on the older side for the Marlins, so it would be surprising if they do not accept calls despite his years of team control remaining. The financial cost of Myers provides cost certainty for acquiring teams, so he could actually receive a decent amount of interest around the league, which could cause his price to go up.

Ryan Mountcastle

Ryan Mountcastle has always been a favorite of mine, so I had to find a chance to get him involved even though he is out for another month or so with a hamstring injury. The timing of the injury could prevent the Orioles from shopping the first baseman, who had been struggling this season. If the Cardinals were to acquire him, it would be as a DH since he has not played the outfield since 2021 and is coming off a major injury. He is making under $7 million this year and has one more year of arbitration, so any team taking on Mountcastle would not have to try to rush him back from his injury.

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