Cardinals insider may have revealed Chaim Bloom's trade deadline plan

The St. Louis Cardinals have played great baseball and forced what used to seem like an inconceivable question for the 2026 club: Should they add at the deadline? 

Derrick Goold talks trade deadline on 101 ESPN

Derick Goold, a highly esteemed beat writer for the Cardinals, appeared on 101 ESPN with Brandon Kiley and Alex Ferrario. 

During the interview, Goold seemed hesitant in his approach to this season’s trade deadline. 

“This is something that they just made such a priority,” Goold recalled. “You look at all their moves over the last year, you look at their planned moves, even some of the contracts they signed, like Ryne Stanek, Dustin May. These are guys who came here to help them, but also for favorable roles and potentially favorable performance. And they definitely have favorable contracts to be moved at the deadline. …

“They’ve geared up for this idea, and there is still a way for them to thread that needle where they can do both things, but the urgent move where they’re trading from their future to get for the now, they wanna be in position to do that when they think they can make noise in October—not when they think they can slip into October.” 

How to thread the needle 

As Goold said, there is a way for the Cardinals to thread the proverbial needle of this year’s trade deadline. It comes in a package of two words: soft sell. 

The division rival Milwaukee Brewers have become infamous with their fanbase for this tactic. And although some fans are aghast at Milwaukee’s lack of impactful decisions via the trade deadline or free agency, time and time again, they sit atop the NL Central. 

The reality is that if the Cardinals were to trade ANY of their players, it would cause major roster implications. 

St. Louis has won on the margins all season long; with that being the case, there isn’t much room for error. The "soft sell" in St. Louis really WILL have to thread the needle. 

One way to thread the needle is with expiring pieces you can’t retain anyway. 

The obvious candidates

Ryne Stanek's and Dustin May’s one-year contracts look primed to be offloaded for prospects. 

May’s Cardinal career started with an ERA well north of ten after his first two starts. Since then, he’s been a force in the rotation. 

In the right-hander’s most recent outing, he carved up the Mets offense for six shutout frames en route to a 7-0 Cardinal victory. 

Stanek hasn’t seen the tremendous jump to production that May has, although his last month or so has been much more indicative of his arm talent. The strikeouts remain, the control fluctuates. 

If the Cardinals don’t see this year’s team as a true contender for postseason noise, there’s no reason to hold onto these players. 

Cardinals fans have asked about holding onto the flamethrowing, red-headed right-hander. The reality is, May’s underlying numbers are respectable, but nothing extraordinary. 

His xERA of 3.63 is solid, but not extension-worthy. And his poor breaking ball and offspeed numbers have analysts wondering if he’ll continue navigating through big league lineups or hit a wall. 

Other areas that demand improvement in May’s game include whiff percentage and limiting hard contact. If he continues to allow hard contact and can’t get hitters to swing and miss, there will be blow-up starts in the future. 

On the offensive side, Lars Nootbaar came back to a suddenly crowded outfield, and if the Redbirds believe in Triple-A phenom Joshua Baez, Nootbaar's future with the team feels uncertain.  

Unlike Stanek and May, Nootbaar isn’t an expiring asset. But with the emergence of Jordan Walker and Nathan Church, and even solid production from players like Jose Fermin and Nelson Velazquez, he might be more valuable as a trade chip. 

Venturing out to the bullpen, even with recent struggles, Riley O’Brien and JoJo Romero provide the Cardinals with a lethal backend duo. Romero has cut down hitters of both handedness for years now, and O’Brien’s quick surge has only been overshadowed by recent blunders. Other teams have already started calling about these Cardinal arms, and if they’re traded, it could be a real blow to the Redbird record down the stretch, although the return will surely carry weight. 

With these being the most obvious trade candidates, who’re the ones nobody is talking about? Or maybe the ones people don’t WANT to talk about.

The Cardinals' most valuable pieces 

Two players fans likely view as untouchables may have immense trade value come July: Ivan Herrera and Alec Burleson.

Herrera has caught more consistently this season, and his eye at the plate, combined with plus power, has his OPS consistently orbiting .800. 

The strongest case to trade Herrera is that St. Louis has plenty of depth behind him. His lackluster defense at catcher has been a concern for some time, and the Cardinals have multiple top prospects who play the position just as well, if not better, in Raniel Rodriguez, Jimmy Crooks, and Leo Bernal. Herrera hasn’t thrown out a baserunner in two seasons. If there is room to transform him into an elite pitching prospect or two, that angle deserves some attention. 

Burleson, who just hit an 111 mph home run against the Mets to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, is having a career year for the Cardinals after winning a Silver Slugger in 2025. 

Of these two players, Burleson feels like the safer choice to offload. The Cardinal first baseman has been nothing short of excellent during his tenure—as a hitter, teammate, and person. However, if the Cardinals see a mouth-watering offer on the table, it’s hard to justify holding onto a piece you’re unwilling to extend. To this point, there have been no reported extension discussions with Burly. 

A majority of the Cardinals' temperance to players like Herrera and Burleson will rely on how the team plays leading up to the deadline. 

If the Cardinals are still commanding a playoff spot, it’ll be easier to buy into this core’s future. If the team were to implode, it could be time to cash in on a career year. 

By no means should St. Louis trade away Herrera or Burleson for scraps. They’ve both proven to be quality MLB bats. However, if the Cardinals aren’t contending and they feel a deal is on the table for an outlandish return, Chaim Bloom shouldn’t hesitate. 

This trade deadline will mark one of Chaim Bloom’s biggest challenges as the Cardinals’ President of Baseball Operations thus far. 

Bloom’s defining deadline 

Coming into this season, the Cardinals were expected to be a bottom-feeder in MLB. Now, they’ve played their way into talking about potentially adding in July. 

Although there are no guarantees either way, St. Louis’ decisions at this year’s deadline will not only impact the team down the stretch but also leave lasting effects come next year and the year after that. 

Bloom and the rest of his team have performed well above expectations, but the biggest test is yet to come. 

For the first time since taking over, Bloom will face a trade deadline where every decision has consequences. Whether the Cardinals decide to buy, sell, or thread the needle, this July could shape the next era of Cardinal baseball. 

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