3 trades the Cardinals must make for a successful deadline

The St. Louis Cardinals’ clock is ticking! Time is running out for Chaim Bloom to make moves, and fans are on the edge of their seats. 

St. Louis seems to hold all the “cards” (pun intended) ahead of this year’s trade deadline, and it’ll come down to the wire for Bloom’s front office to cash in. 

Listed below are three players the Cardinals MUST trade, or trade for, to have a successful deadline. 

Player 1: Dustin May

Let’s get this out of the way: Dustin May does need to be traded. 

Enough of this "qualifying offer" malarky. The price for starting pitching on the market is excessively high. The Cubs shipped off two top-30 prospects for Kevin Gausman amidst a middling season, and the Twins had to part with a top-30 guy of their own for 6.50 ERA Dean Kremer. 

If that isn’t evidence enough that St. Louis has the ball in their court to add a much more intriguing piece via trade than they can with a QO draft pick, then what is? 

May, a World Series champion, will be coveted for his high upside, playoff experience, and great underlying data. 

It’s easy to dismiss him as a throwaway piece when all you look at is his ERA. 

This season, May is orchestrating a 4.38 ERA and 0.7 bWAR after 109 innings pitched. 

May’s xERA of 3.90 is much more indicative of his arm talent than the surface-level numbers show. Furthermore, he has maintained his velocity throughout the year and is above average at limiting hard contact while keeping hitters on the ground. 

Some refer to him as an “FIP genie.” 

With so many options already off the market, the Cardinals hold one of MLB’s best trade chips in May. It would be ludicrous to hold on to him. 

Current fits include the Astros, White Sox, Phillies, and Twins. 

Player 2: Pedro Pages

How many times have you heard about the Cardinals’ catching problem? Now, how many times have you seen them take actual steps to address it? 

Pages has given the Redbirds everything they could’ve asked of him. Maybe a bit more on offense would be nice, but let’s not kid ourselves: This is no Ted Simmons. 

This season, Pages has excelled at throwing out runners and remains the Cardinals’ best defensive catcher. Unfortunately, for his sake, St. Louis has an entire contingency of names waiting in the wings for a glimpse at opportunity. 

Ryan Campos, Leo Bernal, Rainiel Rodriguez, and, on the big club, Jimmy Crooks are all worthy of playing time within the next two seasons. 

That being said, Pages would serve well as a defensive backup/substitute on a contender. Fans can sometimes underestimate the value of a legit defense-first catcher. How do you think Cleveland’s Austin Hedges has remained employed all these years?

The Pages trade will sting; he’s got an infectious personality and a glove with gold remnants, but it’s in the club's best interest to play Bernal by mid-August. 

Current fits include the White Sox, D-Backs, and Angels. 

Player 3: Acquire a controllable arm

It could be bullpen, rotation, or Rinku Singh from Million Dollar Arm; just get something. 

The Redbirds’ rotation is full of mediocrity, uncertainty, and currently rides the success of St. Louis’ pitching pipeline. 

Until the Cardinals prove they can consistently develop young arms, this feels like a "prospect gold rush." Promises of youthful talent and 100 mph heaters have fans clamoring for call-ups. Keep this in mind: Matthew Liberatore, Zack Thompson, and Jack Flaherty were all considered "future frontline starters."

Some names that could be available include Mariners’ Emerson Hancock and George Kirby, both of whom would demand a big offer, but may very well be worth it. 

The Cardinals have lots of work to do—and very little time. Buckle up, St. Louis! 

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