3 Astros trade candidates the Cardinals could pursue with Randy Flores running Houston

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to be more competitive than many people realize in 2027. While they aren't going to do anything crazy that hurts their even brighter future in 2028 and beyond, they certainly have the ability, and possibly even the desire, to make some swings this offseason that help them in both 2027 and the future.

With Randy Flores recently becoming the general manager of the Houston Astros, the Cardinals may be positioned to swing a big deal with their former assistant general manager that helps the Astros reset their core, and the Cardinals supplement theirs.

Today I want to present three different trade targets that the Cardinals could pursue in a deal with Houston. Two are bigger swings that they'd have to be ready to make commitments to long-term, and one is a smaller, more 2027-focused move that could really help the Cardinals improve a big weakness of theirs from last season.

SP Hunter Brown

The Cardinals have a young, productive Major League rotation on their hands right now, and they have so many high-upside starters on their way to St. Louis right now. What if they supplement that group with a young, front-line starter in Hunter Brown?

Since 2024, Brown ranks ninth among qualified starters in ERA (3.00), 14th in batting average against (.217), 16th in K% (26.9%), 23rd in K-BB% (17.8%), and has done so pitching his home games at an average ballpark in terms of offensive environment with a below-average defense behind him. Now imagine him pitching in front of the Cardinals' defense at Busch Stadium.

Brown has two years of club control remaining, so a payday is on the horizon, but the Cardinals could look to their almost blank slate of financial commitments to lock down the 28-year-old on a long-term deal.

Brown's presence would instantly change how the Cardinals' rotation feels heading into 2027. Brown leading a staff made up of Quinn Mathews, Kyle Leahy, Andre Pallante, Michael McGreevy, and Matthew Liberatore really lifts that group's potential, and then you've got names like Liam Doyle, Tanner Franklin, Tekoah Roby, Jurrangelo Cijntje, Cooper Hjerpe, Richard Fitts, and Brandon Clarke who could soon join them. In all honesty, making a move for Brown could give the Cardinals even more flexibility to move a Pallante or McGreevy in a trade to replenish assets.

The Cardinals farm system is ridiculously strong right now, with their 20th-50th ranked prospects being players who would rank highly in many other teams' top 30s. The Cardinals, if they really like a player and think they'll fit their timeline, can go out and make that move right now, and it would not put much of a dent in their future assets.

SS Jeremy Pena

If the Cardinals want to upgrade their position player core, Jeremy Pena would certainly do so, adding a top-end bat to the shortstop position and a player who has shown the ability to be a quality defensive shortstop. Because of the weird situation the Astros are in, Flores may need to dangle Pena in the trade market to begin replenishing their farm system.

In 2026, Pena slashed .277/.325/.477 with 22 home runs and 56 RBI in just 112 games, posting a 124 wRC+ in the process. The season prior, Pena broke out in a huge way with a 136 wRC+ and 5.8 fWAR season. Pena would instantly become a middle-of-the-order option for the Cardinals while playing a premium position.

Masyn Winn is a solid option for the Cardinals who has the upside to become even more valuable if his bat improves, but what if the Cardinals decided to package him (a Houston native) and other assets to improve their offense in a big way?

Pena is in his final year of club control, so it would cost a pretty penny to keep him in St. Louis beyond the 2027 season. And considering he is a Scott Boras client, he is unlikely to do an extension before testing free agency, barring major changes to the collective bargaining agreement.

I like the thought of Pena in a Cardinals uniform, but he's the option I feel the least confident in a deal making sense for St. Louis.

CF Jake Meyers

If the Cardinals want to try to make a meaningful upgrade to their Major League roster without parting with major assets, acquiring a right-handed platoon option like Jake Meyers for center field could be a way to do so.

Meyers, 30, is in his final year of club control with the Astros and is likely a non-tender candidate for them after struggling mightily in 2026. He very well could just be a free agent target for St. Louis if that does occur, or the Cardinals could swing a deal with Houston on the cheap knowing that they likely don't want to hold onto Meyers anyways.

So why target him? Meyers is an exceptional defender in center field, something the Cardinals traditionally value, and, outside of 2026, has been an above-average producer against left-handed pitching at the plate. Both Nathan Church (67 wRC+) and Victor Scott II (71 wRC+) have really struggled against southpaws.

Adding Meyers to start against left-handed pitching and be a defensive weapon off the bench late in games could be a really nice upgrade for this Cardinals team in 2027.

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