Trade Deadline is Best Thing to Happen to St. Louis Cardinals

The 2022 trade deadline was full of speculation for the St. Louis Cardinals, and after adding two key arms to their rotation, it was worth it.

The St. Louis Cardinals were the source of constant rumors and speculation throughout the month of July, linked to superstar outfield Juan Soto as well as pitching targets such as Frankie Montas and Luis Castillo. The deadline could have gone many different directions for the ballclub, and yet what we are seeing right now may have been the best case scenario.

Since the August 2nd trade deadline, the Cardinals are 12-3 and have looked like a team that is on a mission to not only lock up the NL Central, but be in the conversation with teams like the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves for the National League pennant.

The club’s biggest need was clearly starting pitching, and they were able to bring in two veteran starters in Jordan Montgomery and Jose Quintana. Along with those additions, the club also acquired reliever Chris Stratton and catcher Austin Allen, who both can provide depth for St. Louis down the stretch.

After so much buzz about many different players being on their way out to acquire star level talent, the only significant loss for the club in these deals was center fielder Harrison Bader, who had ultimately become expendable with the amount of outfield options the club had.

There are a variety of factors that play into why this trade deadline was such a success for the Cardinals. The players they have added are already making major impacts, the players they have kept seem unfazed by their names being in the headlines for a month, and the club as a whole has renewed energy about them.

Let’s look more in depth about how this trade deadline has already paid major dividends for St. Louis.