Could these be their last games as a St. Louis Cardinals player?

With only a few games remaining in the 2020 season, the St. Louis Cardinals are knocking on the door of the playoffs. While it is likely they will make it, the end of the season could inevitably mark the end of the tenure for several players as a Cardinal.

Roster turnover is expected. After each season, teams look at how to improve and what moves they can make. Fans speculate and imagine blockbuster trades and big free agent signings. For this post, I’m going to look at the upcoming St. Louis Cardinals’ offseason from a different angle.

Instead of looking at who the Cardinals could or should add, let’s take a look at some players who might be playing their last games with the team.

This exercise is one to point out some players who I think could be on their way out of the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Whether it be due to expiring contracts or possible trades, there are some players I think could be heading out and a few who are unlikely to leave but certainly still a possibility to do so.

I think it is good to appreciate the players and what they have accomplished for the team. Look at some recent players the Cardinals have traded away or let walk in free agency that fans now (secretly or otherwise) wish were still on the team. No need to go through the list, and it might vary from fan to fan. But the reality is that some players might not fully be appreciated until they’re having success with another team.

The St. Louis Cardinals, right now, are about to clinch a playoff berth. The focus is to root them on and hope for a long playoff run. In the back of minds, though, it is very likely the last few weeks for several players as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. There are probably a dozen players or so that an argument can be made for it being their last season on the team, but I’m condensing the list a bit.

Here’s a look at a few.

Carlos Martinez

It has been a career filled with ups and downs for Carlos Martinez. The St. Louis Cardinals have made Martinez a staple in their plans for the last several seasons, and he has overall rewarded them. In 2020 however, it has been a struggle. To be fair to Martinez, he did have a case of COVID-19 and it seemed to be pretty serious. He needs respect for being able to go pitch this year and that could explain some of his struggles.

He has had some injuries and has been a bit inconsistent throughout his career, even though his career numbers are pretty eye-popping. His career record stands at 58-43 with a 3.51 ERA and he’s accounted for 14.8 WAR. He also has 31 career saves and had success as the Cardinals closer for much of last season.

Still, the sense is that the Cardinals would probably like to move on. He’s under contract for 2021 and has a few option years beyond that. I do not think the Cardinals will release him and eat that salary but I do think they will explore trades for him.

The big question is how much trade value he has. After his inconsistencies and injury history, will teams be eager to take on his salary for 2021? I see a few options if this is the case. The Cardinals could maybe eat some of his money and ask for a better return, or they could package him with a prospect to maximize the trade return and also potentially get someone else to take on his contract.

Martinez has been a great Cardinals pitcher and he’s still talented. His raw talent can probably elevate him to the top15-20 starting pitchers in the sport. Add in his ability to be an impact bullpen arm, and the upside is there for him to be a successful pitcher again in 2021.

But … probably with another team.

Lane Thomas

Lane Thomas has not had many opportunities this season, with a crowded outfield mix. Adding to that was him being infected with COVID-19 and missing some time. Like with Martinez, it is unfair to place too much criticism on a player who had to deal with the coronavirus this season. Still a potentially strong outfielder, it seems more and more his ceiling might be that of a fourth outfielder. With an already underperforming outfield and the Cardinals needing to find ways to improve the offense this coming offseason, it seems like a few outfielders might possibly be shipped out in trades.

Thomas probably has limited trade value but out of the current crop of outfielders, he is one that looks to have a smaller role going forward and perhaps the most likely one to be expendable.

The outfield is hard to guess going forward, and there are several different ways the team could go with it. Thomas might stick around and compete for a bench spot in 2021, but I think at least one outfielder might get dealt before the 2021 season and Thomas is as good a guess as any.

Daniel Ponce de Leon

“Ponce” has been the definition of swingman since his debut with the St. Louis Cardinals. Daniel Ponce de Leon has been used as a starter and as a long reliever, and he’s done so well. His career record of 2-7 is deceiving and shows that win/loss records aren’t always a good way to judge a pitcher.

Regardless, he’s a pitcher who probably has some value and has an undefined role with the Cardinals moving forward. He’s frequently used to fill in when there is an injury in the starting rotation but might not be the top choice to be in the rotation on a regular basis. For some other teams, he could easily crack the middle of the rotation and serve as a more regular contributor.

Austin Gomber is another who fits into this mold. I could see either of these players getting traded, but both have value to the Cardinals.

In conclusion, the Cardinals will likely make some additions to their roster this upcoming offseason. They certainly have some needs. There will be a time to address those and look into what the team needs and who could be acquisition ideas. There will also be players departing from the roster, likely both via free agency and trades.

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Alas, I do not have a crystal ball so these are more predictions and guesses but I think they are based in the realm of possibility. There could be blockbuster trades by the St. Louis Cardinals that see them trading away top prospects or key players I didn’t mention. There is no way to know exactly what will happen this offseason.

This has been my best assumption as to some players who could be leaving after the season. Pending free agents are a little easier to assume, based on the fact that their contracts will be expired so they will be available to all teams on the free agent market.

Trades are harder to guess, but I do think the team will try to make some. I have tried not to base this writing on any unreasonable assumptions.

Some players on this list I think will stay with the Cardinals for 2021 and beyond but it would have been a disservice to the exercise not to include them in the list anyway. Because any time a player has a contract that expires, no matter how great a player or what level of significance that player has to the organization, there is a possibility the player could walk.

While we wait for the Cardinals to officially clinch a playoff berth, we can enjoy watching this team and roster in its current form. Because, one way or another, change will come.