10 wildly different trade deadline deals the St. Louis Cardinals could pursue

St. Louis Cardinals receive Reid Detmers. Los Angeles Angels receive Dylan Carlson, Gordon Graceffo, and Luken Baker.

When Reid Detmers was demoted to Triple-A by the Angels midseason after an abysmal start to his 2024 campaign, many Cardinals fans immediately drew comparison to disappointing outfielder Dylan Carlson. While a one-for-one swap would never happen, as Detmers' control and upside outweigh Carlson's, a framework is in place for a potential trade.

Once a highly touted pitching prospect, Reid Detmers has never quite put it together in Anaheim. It's historically been a difficult environment for starting pitchers to flourish, so a change of scenery may benefit the 24-year-old. The same could be said for Dylan Carlson, who could be the next in line of Cardinals outfielders who failed in St. Louis but flourished elsewhere.

Both of these players' values are at rock bottom as Dylan Carlson is amidst his worst season yet, and Reid Detmers has continued to struggle, even in his Triple-A stint. While the Angels may not have wanted to part with their former top prospect in recent seasons, it may be time to cut bait and get a decent return as they try to build a team to get back to the playoffs in the coming years.

It's unclear what the Angels want as they intend to sell at the trade deadline fully but still hold onto franchise icon Mike Trout. Trout has repeatedly stated his intentions of winning in Anaheim, and though it feels impossible, the Angels will likely target near-ready talent. A few intriguing pieces in Luken Baker and Gordon Graceffo could be enough to get the Angels to agree to a deal. After all, both are near Major League-ready talents who could help Mike Trout make one last playoff run before his career winds down.