Cardinals could turn a Phillies shakeup into an unexpected trade opportunity

The St. Louis Cardinals are set up better than almost any other team to be opportunistic this offseason, and the Philadelphia Phillies could be the team that presents them with an intriguing opportunity.

The Phillies' latest playoff disappointment has them on the brink of potentially blowing up their expensive roster, and coupled with an uncertain financial landscape in light of collective bargaining negotiations, there may be some big names available in trades this offseason.

Almost every corner of the baseball universe is looking at the Phillies' situation and wondering how they move forward. They have so much money committed to Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Zach Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Trea Turner, Cristopher Sanchez, and others. This makes it extremely difficult for them to add to this roster, and their farm system is not primed to help them retool quickly.

Because of that, it's very plausible that some of these names are made available in trades, and given how much money they are owed individually, the price point to acquire those players likely will be diminished both in prospect capital and finances (if the Phillies eat money).

Enter....the Cardinals?

The Cardinals could make a major upgrade in a trade with the Phillies

It's too early to tell how aggressive the Phillies will be in deconstructing their roster, but there's a wide range of ways they could do so.

Harper, Schwarber, Turner, Wheeler, and Nola are all 33 years old or older, and all make more than $24 million a year for multiple more years. If they looked to move any of them, they'd likely need to eat money and/or get less value in return than you'd expect from their name value. Turner and Nola specifically would be bargain trades for a team acquiring them.

Sanchez is a Cy Young-caliber starter and is on an incredible contract, so obviously he would cost a pretty penny, but for a farm system like the Cardinals, they could afford to make that kind of move and have their ace for the future. Jesus Luzardo would be quite the get in a deal as well.

The Cardinals have so much financial flexibility right now, so they can afford to absorb money on their books if the value of the player makes sense. While 2027 is not the year they should push the chips in, they can push chips in this offseason for players they believe can help them in 2028 and beyond as well. Sanchez and Luzardo for sure fit that bill, and guys like Turner, Harper, or Schwarber *could* if the price to acquire and money the Cardinals have to pay is manageable.

Chaim Bloom would be wise to monitor that situation this offseasonand be ready to pounce if the right deals become available. The Phillies may not be the only team that fits that mold this offseason - dissapointing exits from the Dodgers, Yankees, Padres, or others, or even the failures of the Red Sox, Astros, Mets, Cubs, and more, could present some very interesting opportunities.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow