3 Cardinals players who aren't as safe as we think with the trade deadline approaching

The St. Louis Cardinals certainly aren't known for making the flashiest moves at the trade deadline, but they can make some surprising ones. The Jordan Montgomery for Harrison Bader trade most recently comes to mind. John Mozeliak isn't afraid to get creative with some deals that aren't necessarily being talked about amongst Cardinals media and national baseball rumors. Here are three players who might not be as safe as we'd think.

Ivan Herrera isn't as safe as we'd think

Ivan Herrera has been brought up in trade talks surrounding the Cardinals for a while now, but with the emergence of Pedro Pages as a viable backup catcher, it may be the perfect time to trade Herrera. Herrera seemed poised for a breakout in 2024 as one of the best catching duos in the league with Willson Contreras, at least from an offensive standpoint. He's slashing .273/.340/.378 with a 103 OPS+, which would certainly be good enough to start for many teams at the catcher position.

However, when Willson Contreras went down with a fractured arm, Pedro Pages was called upon to be the team's backup catcher. Herrera's defense left a lot to be desired, and Pages' framing ability and strong arm impressed the Cardinals enough to demote Herrera instead of Pages upon Willson's return. He's torn it up with Triple-A Memphis, and with the Cardinals' need for right-handed bats, it's possible he'll be recalled soon, but he may be more valuable in a trade package.

Since Herrera's skillset is a bit of a redundancy on the Cardinals' roster, moving on from him might make a lot of sense if another team is willing to give up a starting pitcher. A team like the Seattle Mariners, in desperate need of any offense, could be a good fit for Herrera, and given the way the Cardinals have treated him after the emergence of Pages, it wouldn't be surprising at all if they dealt him for more pressing needs.