St. Louis Cardinals: Likely trade partner teams to consider

The St. Louis Cardinals could really use a long-term solution at third base and the Toronto Blue Jays should look to be sellers.

The Toronto Blue Jays don’t look to be postseason-bound. With this thinking in mind, and with a big name and big dollar player like Josh Donaldson on their books, they should be willing to listen to offers. Enter the St. Louis Cardinals.

We have written about Donaldson often here as many of us believe that he would fit nicely into the St. Louis Cardinals defense and certainly add pop to an otherwise weak offense. It will take a load to land him but the Cardinals have plenty to offer.

Here’s what I think: the Cardinals should offer anyone- save a few- who Toronto would like. I can easily see Voit heading north. I can easily see DeJong heading north. I can also easily see the likes of Mike Mayers and/or others from Memphis joining these names. In fact, I could see the Cardinals shopping Kolten Wong to the Jays in order to land Donaldson and I’d be a-okay with that.

How about Carpenter? If the Jays wanted Carpenter in a deal to land the Cardinals Donaldson, why shouldn’t the Cards take that offer?

The sticky part is the pending free agency of Donaldson and the current value on his contract– he is earning $17M in 2017. My guess is that an $18-19M AAV over three years will be necessary to lock him up. The Cardinals have the money and should certainly consider this option.