Latest mishap afflicting former Cardinals outfielder reminds fans of shrewd deal in John Mozeliak's dark years

When St. Louis Cardinals fans think about the latter portion of John Mozeliak's time at the helm of the team's front office, grimaces will unfailingly plaster their faces. This is the man who traded Randy Arozarena and Sandy Alcantara before giving them a fair shake at the major league level, then overcorrected and clung onto deteriorating assets like Tyler O'Neill and Dylan Carlson well past their sell-by dates. He kept the Cardinals insular and failed to adapt to the changing times because of it, leading to the unenviable position the team finds itself in now.

But while those massive mistakes tarnished his legacy, a few gems still exist in those final years if one pans deeply enough to find them, and in the wake of Harrison Bader's recent blunder, it's worth revisiting what has shaken out to be a strong deal by the erstwhile president of baseball operations.

The former Cardinals outfielder has been on the injured list for the San Francisco Giants since May 29th with plantar fasciitis, and he suffered a major setback in his recovery at his own hands when he found himself in a scooter accident over the weekend, further injuring the affected left foot. Bader doesn't seem to be endearing himself to the Giants this season, as prior to the foot malady, he had been hitting just .170 with a .557 OPS.

In his younger days, Bader was a spry center fielder who won a Gold Glove with the Cardinals in 2021. In 2022, he experienced his first bout with plantar fasciitis, albeit in his right foot. The Cardinals, hoping to compete for a playoff spot that season and in need of rotation help, dealt him to the New York Yankees at the trade deadline for starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery. The deal was a gut punch for fans who loved Bader's enthusiasm on the field, but Montgomery's performance quickly made the trade more palatable.

Montgomery served as the Cardinals' ace down the stretch, holding a 3.11 ERA in 11 starts and even throwing a one-hit shutout against the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 22 at Wrigley Field. His contributions helped cement the Cardinals' spot in the postseason, and although St. Louis was eventually swept in the Wild Card series at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies, the experience was a thrilling send-off for Cardinals legends Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina.

Montgomery remained with the Cardinals in 2023 and remained stellar, although he didn't reach his 2022 highs. As that was the year in which the Cardinals cratered, they sold him to the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline, notching two prospects in Thomas Saggese and Tekoah Roby and a veteran relief option in John King.

The ultimate results from the Montgomery trade to Texas are still up in the air.

The prospects coming back to St. Louis in the deal weren't top-tier, but they were respectable names. Bader, meanwhile, played in just 14 games with the Yankees that season while battling his foot issues and hit only .217. Had the Cardinals hung onto Bader and tried to unload him at the 2023 deadline, when his contract would be up following the season, they likely would have received table scraps for him.

Saggese and Roby remain in the Cardinals organization as the 2026 trade deadline nears. Saggese hasn't found much success in the major leagues, hitting .238 with a .608 OPS over parts of three seasons, and he's currently in Triple-A Memphis. The Cardinals could give him another shot at some point this season, as they remain in need of help at third base.

Roby, meanwhile, hasn't been able to shake the injury bug and will likely next be seen pitching in 2027 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July of 2025. The 24-year-old remains a potential asset for the Cardinals, and MLB Pipeline ranks him as the 10th-best prospect in the organization.

The Bader deal is one that many fans overlook when it comes to Mozeliak's final seasons in St. Louis, but Mozeliak was able to capitalize on dealing a fading player for a strong asset and then flipping said asset for some players whose stories aren't yet over with the Cardinals. In a time where the Cardinals are searching every crevice for young talent, the trade of Bader has provided Mozeliak's successor, Chaim Bloom, with a few more tools to help construct the Cardinals roster of the future.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow