3 Cardinals who could make great offseason trade chips

The St. Louis Cardinals approached this year’s deadline as an obvious seller. Trading away fan favorites Lars Nootbaar, Dustin May, and JoJo Romero cemented the second half as a developmental phase. Still, the Cardinals might not be finished, and this offseason could be an opportunity for POBO Chaim Bloom to cash in on a few more assets. 

With one of baseball’s best farm systems, the Cardinals will have tough decisions to make on a few players this upcoming offseason. 

Let’s dive into three names Bloom may need to consider offloading. 

Player 1: Ivan Herrera

The scuttlebutt about Ivan Herrera has been rowdy and provocative all season. The Cardinals’ 2026 All-Star has put together a very solid campaign, but extenuating circumstances are threatening his roster spot. 

Rookie catcher Leo Bernal has impressed since his promotion down the stretch, and minor league phenom Rainiel Rodriguez can’t stop mashing at the lower levels. 

Herrera has sputtered in the second half, has little defensive presence behind the dish, and his .750 OPS-ways won’t hold as an everyday DH. 

There’s no doubt that Herrera has a place in Major League Baseball, but it might not be as a St. Louis Cardinal. 

Recently, starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins underwent surgery that will have him sidelined throughout 2027. 

With that, Herrera could supplement a needy rotation or nab a sizeable prospect package. 

His combination of pedigree, projectability, and team control all contribute to his trade value, and he could net the Cardinals a legit return. 

If he’s retained, what will the Redbirds do with Bernal, Rodriguez, Crooks, or anyone vying for at-bats at designated hitter? 

Player 2: Andre Pallante 

Like Herrera, Andre Pallante has had a very successful 2026, but depth could push for a trade. 

After reworking his slider and learning to command the strike zone, Pallante has become a new pitcher, and the results have been very acceptable. 

Still, he’s not a front-line starter, and doesn’t profile to command playoff innings on a legit contender. 

The Cardinals could get ahead of their starting pitcher backload and flip Pallante for, let’s say, a stopgap center fielder, or more likely, a pool of prospects. 

This season, he’s become something reliable; not foundational. 

If the Redbirds were to retain the slider-genie, it wouldn’t be innumerable. The aforementioned Dobbins injury has the organization searching for innings before a 2027 season is even guaranteed.

Most of any decision like this will fall on Bloom’s confidence in his minor league system and his aggressiveness. 

Pallante could be a name to land in an offseason trade. He’d make a great stabilizer at the back end of an already elite rotation (Phillies?). 

Player 3: Riley O’Brien 

The St. Louis Cardinals’ newfound closer has been a rollercoaster. The wooden kind, that’s just fun enough to revisit at day's end, but still leaves your back a bit sore and your head the wrong kind of wobbly. 

At the end of the day, O’Brien has still served well in the ninth. He’s locked down over 30 saves, has a respectable ERA, and possesses legitimate late-inning stuff. 

The problem? He’s not fitting the timeline. 

Now, in O’Brien’s case, the Cardinals aren’t being forced to trade him. No youngsters are pushing him out, although Luis Gastelum looks like he’s really found something. 

However, if the Cardinals get a sizeable offer for their battle-tested fireman, it would make sense to let go before he has a chance to spiral further. 

O’Brien has been a good Cardinal, but his underlying metrics have dwindled, and there aren’t concrete signs that he’ll remain in the ninth inning. 

If another team offers a big package, you take it. No regrets. 

The Cardinals will have some intriguing choices to make this offseason, and some might involve parting with current starters to pave the way for the stars of tomorrow. 

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