2 starting pitching trades the St. Louis Cardinals could make

These are two hypothetical trades that I think could net the Cardinals a top-flight starter.

The rotation of the St. Louis Cardinals has not offered much promise over the first few games of the season, and the team has shown it is in desperate need of an ace who can shut down an opposing team’s lineup.

On Opening Day against the Toronto Blue Jays, Miles Mikolas allowed 10 hits and five runs in only 3.1 innings. The following game, Jack Flaherty wiggled out of jams almost every inning, allowing seven walks but no runs over five frames. In the third game, Jordan Montgomery went five innings and surrendered three runs on six hits. Finally, on April 3 against the Atlanta Braves, Jake Woodford labored through 4.1 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits, including three home runs.

Overall, the starting rotation ranks 28th in baseball with a 7.14 ERA over 29 innings of work. No one should believe that the rotation will be this bad for very long, but it just highlights the concerns that fans and experts hand about this club coming into the season. It's no wonder fans have been calling for rotation improvements for months now.,

No matter how dominant the Cardinals' offense is this year, the pitching needs to have at least the occasional decent performance so that not all games end up as shootouts. A starter who can reliably pitch deep into games and avoid taxing the bullpen would be extremely valuable and provide the Cardinals some much-needed stability on the mound.

Lars Nootbaar and Tommy Edman to the Seattle Mariners for Logan Gilbert

The Seattle Mariners currently have a strong one-two punch in Luis Castillo and Logan Gilbert, and that doesn't include Robbie Ray, who is on the injured list. Last season, Gilbert had a 3.20 ERA and 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings. He would provide the swing-and-miss stuff the Cardinals sorely lack at the moment.

The Mariners' surplus of talent at starting pitching should give them the ability to withstand a hit to their rotation, and the returns would fill their few holes in the lineup. Seattle's weakest position is shortstop, where they usually trot out J.P. Crawford. Tommy Edman would be a strong upgrade at the six-hole for Seattle, and as Cardinals fans know, he can play at second base and even the outfield on occasion.

As for an everyday outfielder, Lars Nootbaar would fit the Mariners' weak right-field spot, where former top prospect Jarred Kelenic could be on thin ice. I realize it's considered sacrilege to think about dealing Nootbaar, but this isn't a Goldschmidt- or Arenado-type trade where the receiving teams are rebuilding; the Mariners would want legitimate everyday players. Just as Cardinals fans are aware of Nootbaar's strong Statcast metrics, other teams' front offices are as well.

The Cardinals have the ability to withstand the losses of both Edman and Nootbaar. The starting shortstop until Masyn Winn is ready could be Brendan Donovan. While his utility aspect wouldn't be utilized as much as it is now if he plays shortstop most days, it would allow a suddenly defensively passable Nolan Gorman to play second base and Alec Burleson or Jordan Walker to rotate at designated hitter. Burleson flashed strong exit velocities this spring and could be a strong piece in the lineup if he's given daily opportunities.

Gilbert, while not the Mariners' ace because of the presence of Castillo, would be a strong No. 1 on many teams, including the Cardinals. He is only 25, so there are likely several good years left in his arm.