3 Cardinals rumors we hope are true, 1 we hope doesn't happen

There are a lot of rumors flying about the Cardinals before the trade deadline, some are good, others are not

Jul 29, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) looks on
Jul 29, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) looks on | Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
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We hope the Baltimore Orioles interest in Dylan Carlson and Jack Flaherty are real

Huh? Why would the Cardinals want to make a deal with the Orioles, whose top prospects really aren't starting pitchers?

Well, have you seen Baltimore's farm system? It's the strongest in baseball, and finding a way to package Carlson and Flaherty would likely net the Cardinals a very good return from that system.

Jackson Holliday and Colton Cowser are untouchable, but even names like Jordan Westburg, Heston Kjerstad, Joey Ortiz, Connor Norby, Coby Mayo, Samuel Basallo, DL Hall, and Dylan Beavers could be great returns for the Cardinals.

When making selling-type moves, the positional fit should come second to value. If the Orioles offer the most value, then that is the deal to make. It allows the Cardinals to potentially part with other young bats that they are hesitant to at the moment, or use the return they get from Baltimore to pursue pitching upgrades this offseason.

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