Cardinals: 6 stars St. Louis should trade for this off-season

One of these trades would make the Cardinals a World Series contender

The St. Louis Cardinals’ have two of the best players in all of baseball with reigning National League Most Valuable Player Paul Goldschmidt and third place finisher Nolan Arenado. In order to compete for World Series titles in today’s game, they will need to continue to add to their star talent.

St. Louis has rarely been the kind of team to go out and make splash free agent signings, but they have been in the business of trading for stars. From Scott Rolen and Matt Holliday to the aforementioned Goldschmidt and Arenado, the Cardinals know how to capitalize on star talent available for trade.

The club is very well-rounded, with a good lineup and pitching. Each area though as room to go from good to great, and doing so would vault the Cardinals into the conversation for representing the National League in the World Series in 2023.

While St. Louis will surely hold onto young talent like Jordan Walker, the club does have plenty of other assets that they can cash in for superstar talent. The club has drafted and developed in such a way that they can now afford to go hard after more high-end talent and not risk the organization’s future.

Let’s face it – Goldschmidt and Arenado are not getting any younger, and as much as we all believe they will continue to dominate for years to come, St. Louis owes it to both of them to strike while they are hot. Here are six stars St. Louis could trade for this off-season that would put them firmly in the World Series conversation.

3B Rafael Devers

Like Mookie Betts before him, Rafael Devers is one year away from free agency are rumors are swirling that he could be traded this off-season. His natural position of third base is covered by Arenado, but that should not stop the Cardinals from bringing in one of the best left-handed bats in all of baseball.

In 2022, Devers slashed .296/.358/.521 with 27 HR and 88 RBI in 141 games for the Red Sox. Devers would bring St. Louis one of the few bats in the game that can compare to Goldschmidt and Arenado, but do so from the left-side, which St. Louis desperately needs.

Devers could easily slot in as the club’s primary designated hitter and spell Arenado at third base when needed. Devers could feasibly play first base as well as needed, and if necessary, could find some innings at second base as well. When it comes to a bat like Devers, you make him fit no matter what.

The price for Devers on the trade market would not be as much as one would think. Being a year away from free agency and not a very good defender at a weak position, a package around Nolan Gorman and a few prospects should do the trick. With $70 million coming off the books after the 2023 season, St. Louis may even be able to extend Devers long-term. If I am John Mozeliak, I am calling Boston right now.

RHP Tyler Glasnow

The Tampa Bay Rays extended Tyler Glasnow on a two-year deal before the end of the 2022 season, but that won’t stop them from capitalizing on his trade value if they so choose.

The 29-year old returned from his elbow surgery late in the season and looked like his old self, even starting in a playoff game for the Rays. Before his season-ending injury in 2021, Glasnow as 5-2 with a 2.66 ERA and 123 SO in just 88 innings of work. For a rotation that desperately needs and ace with strikeout stuff, there are few better fits that Glasnow.

The Rays are known to flip their high-end players at their peak value so they can continue churning out contenders year in and year out. With Shane McClanahan at the top of their rotation and many other young arms ready to go, they could part with Glasnow for some young hitting this off-season.

Gorman would be a great centerpiece for this deal as well, with guys like Alec Burleson, Juan Yepez, Moises Gomez, Lars Nootbaar, and others being appealing as impact bats right away for the Rays.

C Will Smith

You may be thinking “Why would the Dodgers trade away one of the best catchers in baseball?, but the possibility is very real. With top prospect Diego Cartaya close to the Major Leagues, insiders have speculated that the Dodgers could take advantage of the haul they would get back for Smith.

Will Smith hit .260/.343/.465 with 24 HR and 87 RBI for the Dodgers in 2022, catching in 109 games in DHing in another 25. That kind of offensive production is just not seen from players behind the plate very often.

The Cardinals need catching help badly, and they also need another big bat in their lineup, and Smith would provide both for St. Louis, all while being under team control through the 2025 season. Smith will come at a high price for the Cardinals if they wish to trade for him, but that level of bat and cost control would be worth giving up a strong package of prospects.

Los Angeles would then be able to turn over the reigns to their new catcher in Cartaya and continue having one of the best farm systems in baseball, allowing them to capitalize and trade for any stars they want that become available, like Shohei Ohtani. The Cardinals don’t need to worry about that though, as they need to focus on the drastic improvement Smith would provide for them.

RHP Shane Bieber

What seems like forever now, the Cardinals continue to be linked to Cleveland Guardians ace Shane Bieber, and for good reason. The Guardians have a history of trading away star talent while contending like Francisco Lindor, and almost traded away Jose Ramirez before he game them a hometown discount. The club is unlikely to extend Bieber, making him a prime trade candidate at some point.

The 2020 American League Cy Young winner was masterful again in 2022, going 13-8 with a 2.88 ERA in 200 innings of work for the AL Central Champions. Bieber’s velocity took a dip this season, but he still appears to be the kind of guy that can lead a staff to a World Series.

The Cardinals need an ace at the top of their rotation, and like the Rays before, they could offer the Guardians young, impact bats in order to pry away their ace. Bieber has one more year of team control after 2023, giving the Cardinals at least two seasons with the ace before needing to extend him. This feels like the Nolan Arenado situation, where the two will continue to be linked until one day, the trade finally happens.

OF Bryan Reynolds

The Cardinals outfield lacks a “sure thing” at the moment, and St. Louis could look within their own division to bring in the star to hold down centerfield and be the third bat in their order in Bryan Reynolds.

Reynolds is a switch-hitting, five-tool outfielder who batted .262/.345/.461 with 27 HR and 62 RBI for the Pirates in 2022, and posted a .912 OPS in 2021. The 27-year old would give the Cardinals an elite hitter to protect Goldschmidt and Arenado from both the left and right sides of the plate, and would do so under team control for years to come.

Normally trading within the division is something to be avoided, but with how deep the Pirates are into their rebuild, the Cardinals should not be afraid to give them young talent in exchange for their star outfielder. Reynolds would be a huge upgrade for both the outfield and the lineup, and would pair nicely with Jordan Walker out their for years to come.

Reynolds will not come cheap due to the years of control, but that should be appealing to St. Louis as they will not have to hand out a big contract or risk losing him for some time.