Cardinals Rumors: John Gant a potential trade candidate for St. Louis

The trade deadline is rapidly approaching and the St. Louis Cardinals could sell of some pitching. One name on that list of candidates is John Gant.

The St. Louis Cardinals remain likely to be slight buyers or stand pat at the deadline. There is also the possibility that they sell off some pitching, perhaps left-handed reliever Andrew Miller, who has vast postseason experience and could make sense for a contending team.

But could they trade John Gant? Jeff Jones of the Belleville News listed Gant as “a player to watch” as the July 30 trade deadline rapidly approaches.

It’s a bit surprising to see Gant listed as a trade candidate, especially with the Cardinals needing arms to eat innings with Jack Flaherty and Miles Mikolas still out with injuries. But it could make sense to consider moving him considering that Miller and Helsey are likely to take his expected bullpen slots, leaving him as the odd man out of the rotation and bullpen.

More from St Louis Cardinals News

• Cardinals Rumors: 3 pros and cons of signing Carlos Rodon
• Cardinals: Here is Willson Contreras’ first message for St. Louis fans
• How do the St. Louis Cardinals stack up with Willson Contreras?
• Cardinals: The insane asking price the Athletics had for Sean Murphy
• St. Louis Cardinals: Ask me anything with Josh Jacobs – 12/8

What could the Cardinals get in return? Likely a minimal haul. He is a non-tender candidate in the offseason, as Jones explains, and has been largely inconsistent in the innings that he has pitched. Even then, he has a 3.42 ERA in 76.1 innings this season despite having a 56/56 strikeout-to-walk ratio, an alarming rate for a pitcher who at one point was arguably the team’s best earlier this season.

The odds are strongly in favor of the Cardinals keeping Gant past the deadline and having him eat innings with Flaherty and Mikolas out. It would behoove them to see if a team could blow them away with an offer, which is possible since he has a previous track record of success. But potentially dealing Gant, and taking away from pitching depth when the team needs more of it, could be playing with fire if you’re president of baseball operations John Mozeliak.

Which is why the Cardinals should keep Gant. Smart teams, of course, always pick up the phone when other teams are calling — which is likely the case here with Mozeliak.