Cardinals: St. Louis listed as potential destination for these 3 stars

Shohei Ohtani

I recently wrote about how the Cardinals would be the perfect trade destination for Mike Trout, but the trade that will likely happen first is that of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani is one of the most unique talents we have ever seen, providing the Angels with a Cy Young level ace and MVP level bat in their lineup. It’s like trading for Max Scherzer and Yordan Alvarez, but in the form of one player.

If it wasn’t for one of the greatest hitting seasons of all-time by Aaron Judge, Ohtani would be on his way to back to back MVPs. He is slashing .266/.357/.534 with 34 HR and 89 RBI at the plate and dominating on the mound with a 2.43 ERA and 196 SO in just 148 innings of work.

Ohtani will surely require a trade package similar to, it not more than, what the Nationals got in return for Juan Soto. If the Cardinals are serious about going all-in for 2023, Ohtani would be the best possible addition to their squad. He would provide St. Louis with the legit ace they are lacking, as well as a third star level bat their lineup.

This trade of the three seems the most unlikely though, as Ohtani is a free agent after 2023 and will surely look to sign with a team on the west or east coast. The prospect package is far too great for a guy who will likely leave St. Louis, but if the Angels don’t get what they want from other teams, St. Louis may be in play.

Wander Franco

The Tampa Bay Rays shocked the baseball world when they signed shortstop Wander Franco to an 11-year, $182 million extension, with options and incentives that could rise to $223 million. In typical Rays fashion though, they may have locked him in knowing that they may trade him at some point.

It is easy to see why the Rays would lock Franco into such a deal. The 21-year old took the league by storm in his rookie season in 2021, slashing .288/.347/.463 with 7 HR and 39 RBI in just 70 games. Franco posses an 80-grade hit tool, the best possible grade in scouting, and looks to be an elite lead-off hitter or middle of the order bat for years to come.

Franco has been plagued by injuries this season, playing in just 69 games to this point. While his numbers are down this season, is it likely just a case of a second year player getting used to the adjustments teams have made on him and being held down by injuries.

If the Cardinals were to acquire Franco, they would have their shortstop of the future locked in for at least the next 10 years, one that will find his name in All-Star conversation and perhaps more for the duration of that tenure. Franco also plays good defense at shortstop, giving St. Louis the perfect long-term answer at the position.

Trading for Franco likely means parting with Masyn Winn, one of the club’s top prospects who looks to get an opportunity at shortstop in the next few years, and possesses one of the best arms in the game. Franco will not command the kind of prospect package that Soto would have this season, and is also locked into a long-term deal at a premier position, making him an awesome trade target.

Will the Rays deal him? That remains to be seen. Would St. Louis want to give up prospects rather than wait on Maysn Winn? That would be a tough decision for the club. Either way, Franco would make for a great addition to the Cardinals lineup and fault them into World Series contention.

Pablo Lopez

There were rumors circulating at the 2022 deadline that the Cardinals were in play for Miami Marlins right-hander Pablo Lopez, but the club decided to hold onto their starter for the time being.

In his 18 starts before the All-Star break, Lopez was 6-4 with an ERA of 2.86 in 104 innings of work. Since the break though, his ERA has been 6.07 in 11 starts and has not looked like his dominate self. Many believe that Lopez is suffering from a mix of fatigue and having little to play for the last few weeks. Lopez has already surpassed his career high in innings by 50 this season and the Marlins are no longer contenders for the playoffs.

The bright side of this second half is that Lopez is stretching out his arm to become the kind of pitcher who can lead a staff for a full season. St. Louis has multiple starters in their rotation who can be the second, third, or fourth best pitcher on a contender, but lack someone who can match up with other contending team’s aces. Lopez could be that guy for St. Louis.

It has been rumored since before the season that the Marlins really want a new centerfielder, making Dylan Carlson, Tyler O’Neill, or Lars Nootbaar prime candidates for a Lopez trade. Lopez will require a pretty sizeable package due to his remaining team control, but would fill one of St. Louis’ biggest holes as they look to improve for 2023.