Cardinals History: The trade that broke St. Louis' pitching pipeline

The St. Louis Cardinals organization spent years atop the NL Central, in constant competition with baseball’s finest. The "John Mozeliak era," which lasted from 2007 to 2025, was focused on homegrown talent and savvy moves. The Cardinals seemed to have this kind of “Devil Magic” that people wouldn’t stop clamoring about. Until one day, St. Louis traded away two important pieces, and the pixie dust went with them. 

Sandy Alcantara and Zac Gallen broke the Cardinals 

December 14th, 2017, was a gloomy day in St. Louis. The wind chill was enough to turn your cheeks flush red. Maybe even Cardinal red? 

The dreary weather only added to the repulsive deal that the Cardinal President of Baseball Operations had just struck. On this unforgettable day, St. Louis dealt prospects Sandy Alcantara, Zac Gallen, Magneuris Sierra, and Daniel Castano for Marlins’ All-Star outfielder Marcell Ozuna. 

From the surface, Cardinal baseball had taken a step forward. Ozuna had a 5.4 WAR season in 2017, and picked up an All-Star selection, a Gold Glove, and a Silver Slugger. That kind of season doesn’t usually entail immediate regression when you switch uniforms. In Ozuna’s case, the crash landing was swift and merciless. 

Although he rounded out multiple Cardinal lineups that played October baseball, Ozuna spent a mere two seasons in The Lou. In those seasons, the right-hander posted a wRC+ of 108. Eight percent above league average. That’s worth it for middling prospect capital, right? 

The middling prospect capital in question 

This trade will go down as the perpetual cause of John Mozeliak’s demise. When St. Louis crashed and burned in 2023, amounting to a 71-91 record, the pitching fell flat. 

Cardinal starters that season were abysmal. Unfortunately, led by St. Louis legend Adam Wainwright’s historically bad season. The best Cardinal pitcher in 2023 was (checks notes) JORDAN MONTGOMERY. 

In addition to their rotation’s floundering efforts, the bullpen found themselves quarantining from outs. 

Outside of closer Ryan Helsley, who posted a 2.45 ERA and 14 saves, the Cardinal pen was a nothing-burger of effectiveness. Andre Pallante induced groundballs that always seemed destined for grass, long-time setup man Giovanny Gallegos started a decline that would eventually land him outside of the MLB, and highly touted pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore couldn’t find his footing as a relief option. 

While the Cardinals' mound ailments were made apparent, what came of the prospects dealt in the Ozuna deal? 

Cy Youngs, innings, and certainty 

Sierra reached the bigs in 2017 and accrued -1.7 Baseball Reference WAR for Miami. One point, St. Louis. In the same season, Castano pitched to a 3.03 ERA in 29.2 innings for the Fish. That might’ve been useful. We’ll call it a tie. 1-1.  

Now, the bigger fish to fry. 

Gallen reached MLB in 2019 and pitched to a sparkling 2.81 ERA in 80 innings between Miami and Arizona, where he was traded. In exchange for the young hurler, Miami retained Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the D-backs. Surely another inconsequential name St. Louis wouldn’t dare to care about, right?

After a mad dash to the desert, Gallen soared. In the shortened 2020 season, he became a COVID star. A 2.75 ERA in 75 innings ranked 11th in baseball, placing him above Gerrit Cole, Zack Wheeler, and Adam Wainwright…

He followed up a stellar mini-season with a mediocre 2021. However, after that inkling of "mid," Gallen took off. In 2022, he ascended the ranks of the Dbacks staff to full-fledged ace with a fifth-place finish in Cy Young. Then, followed that up with a 2023 that had length: 210 innings, consistency: 3.47 ERA, and production: 4.4 Baseball Reference WAR. 

The Cardinals' aforementioned best starter in 2023, Mr. Montgomery, pitched 121 innings with 2.1 Baseball Reference WAR. His solid season paled in comparison to what St. Louis could’ve had in Gallen. 

Looks like the Marlins are leading this trade, two prospects to one. With one name left, can the Cardinals tie it? 

The biggest fish 

NO! They cannot! 

Alcantara never got a fair shot in The Lou. His departure was the first of many "Mo-Misses" that saw off talents like Randy Arozarena, Adolis Garcia, and Patrick Wisdom, all of whom could’ve been avid contributors in St. Louis. 

After a minuscule 8.1 big league innings, the Cardinals front office deemed it enough to make a pivotal choice. Alcantara finished the following season with 34 innings in Miami and a 3.44 ERA. Useful, but not tragic. Then, he turned into the Redbirds' biggest Achilles' heel. 

In 2019, the right-hander and his power sinker/changeup combo danced to 198 innings and an excellent 3.88 ERA. In your first full season of big league work, that’s breakout production. 

Alcantara continued to shine with a solid COVID season, but never fully emerged until 2022. 

A year before disaster, on the precipice of baseball hell, the Cardinals watched not only their playoff hopes spiral against the Phillies, but also their organizational track record crumble in front of their eyes. 

In 2022, Alcantara went ballistic on MLB’s finest bats. In a league-leading 228.2 innings, the Marlins ace owned a 2.28 ERA and eight Baseball Reference WAR. His achievements were put on full display when he was deemed the National League’s best pitcher that season, taking home a Cy Young and All-Star and finishing tenth in MVP voting. 

Wow. 

Welcome to the present 

The Cardinals traded Alcantara and Gallen for two shoulder-shrug seasons from Ozuna. Although both have struggled in recent times, through all the peaks and valleys, St. Louis loses this deal. 

Ozuna walked after his two years in The Lou. The Cardinals received zero ROI on his departure. Chisholm Jr., whom the Marlins acquired for Gallen, turned into one of MLB’s best young stars. He was so coveted, in fact, that he landed on the cover of MLB The Show in 2023. Pour salt on the wound, why don’t ya? In 2025 with the Yankees, Chisholm Jr. posted 4.2 WAR, alongside a 30/30 season under the bright lights in the Bronx. Miami got a hold of him for one of two pieces the Cardinals parted with for Ozuna. 

Furthermore, the Cardinals front office was shaken up ahead of 2026, largely in part due to the steady decline of homegrown talent from the Mozeliak regime. 

The marquee Cardinal teams of the last decade were characterized by young talent who burst onto the scene. Tommy Pham, Randal Grichuk, Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly, Tommy Edman, and Tyler O’Neill are just a few names who propelled inexperienced Redbird rosters past the playoff threshold. 

Without a steady pipeline of young talent, the Cardinals failed to fly. St. Louis hasn’t made the postseason since 2022, and is in the midst of a "retool/rebuild/reset." Whatever terminology you want, just don’t call it a comeback. 

If the Cardinals held on to Alcantara and Gallen, they would’ve built perennial rotations. The steady production would’ve mirrored what teams like the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers have built in recent years. For example, if Gallen and Alcantara were Cardinals in their wretched 2023 season, the rotation would’ve been as follows: Alcantara, Gallen, Montgomery, Matz, Flaherty. No Miles Mikolas, no twilight Wainwright, no Dakota Hudson. 

Cardinal baseball is fighting for its life in 2026. After recent seasons of pitfalls and disastrous performance, the baby birds are chirping through the first few months. Young offensive pieces such as JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker are cementing themselves as the team’s future. Even with all the ongoing success, the Cardinals still can’t pitch. And it all started with Mozeliak saying yes to quite possibly the worst trade in Cardinals history. 

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