3 potential trade destinations Cardinals' stars could get traded to during rebuild

Sonny Gray

Destinations: Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers

Before I dive into these destinations, I want to once again note how it is still very much up in the air whether or not Gray would be open to a trade. He could very well want to stay in St. Louis, and if that is his desire, he has that no-trade clause. But it does appear that the Cardinals are open to moving him.

The two biggest things that come to mind for me in the case of Gray are his desire to be close to home and to be on a winning ball club. The former really shrinks the list of teams he may be interested in going to, but I think the three I listed could fit the bill.

The most obvious fit to me would be the Atlanta Braves and for a number of reasons. First, Atlanta is close to Gray's home in Nashville, Tennessee, which seemed to be a major factor in Gray's free agency this past offseason. The three teams linked to Gray the most were Atlanta, Cincinnati, and St. Louis, which happen to be the three clubs closest to Nashville geographically.

Second, the Braves will be looking to plug some holes in their rotation this offseason. Max Fried is set to be a free agent and will command a lucrative long-term deal from someone, while Charlie Morton is also coming off of their books as well. The duo combined to make $35 million in 2024, meaning there is a significant chunk of salary freed up to take on the money of a guy like Gray. The Braves will also be monitoring the health of ace Spencer Strider as he works his way back from elbow surgery. Grabbing an arm like Gray for their rotation makes a ton of sense.

It is hard for me to imagine the Cardinals trading Gray within the division, but I think it is at least worth noting Cincinnati, especially since Gray has a no-trade clause. He will be able to dictate the destinations available to him, and with Cincinnati being close to home, he could see them as an up-and-coming team to return to.

As for the third team, since there are not any other baseball towns close to Nashville, I went with the Texas Rangers. Texas will have Max Scherzer's money coming off their books this offseason, and I am sure they will be hungry to rebound after failing to make the playoffs in the title defense season. Gray would be an excellent fit for their rotation should they want to make a big swing there.

Nolan Arenado

Destinations: Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros

If it were not for recent comments by Nolan Arenado regarding his tone shift in how he is pouring into young guys and trying to be a leader through hard times, I would have almost guaranteed you he would be on the first flight to Los Angeles this offseason if he had the choice.

But now I am not quite as sure. And with his struggles on the field this year, his contract became even more difficult to move, even if both the Cardinals and Arenado agree to part ways. I could easily see Arenado signing up for whatever 2025 will be and pushing the front office to get back to October in 2026, but I could also see him wanting to win and deciding that needs to happen somewhere else.

In 152 games this year, Arenado slashed .272/.325/.394 with 16 home runs and 71 RBI, good for a 102 wRC+ and 3.1 fWAR season. He's still a valuable player, but not at the price tag he is being paid right now. Arenado still has three years and $75 million left on his contract, although how that is paid out is a bit confusing. The Rockies are paying the Cardinals $5 million in both 2025 and 2026, so the actual amount the Cardinals are on the hook for the last three seasons is $27 million, $22 million, and $15 million.

The Dodgers have over $70 million dollars coming off their books this offseason, and if they believe Arenado can rebound in a return home to Los Angeles, then I could see them taking a chance on him if the Cardinals ate some of that money.

Let's say the Cardinals eat $8 million per year. The Dodgers would be paying Arenado $21 million, $14 million, and $7 million in the next three seasons, which I could easily see them doing. The Cardinals would then be saving $42 million from their books in doing this, which makes a lot of sense as they look to reinvest money in other areas of the organization.

If Arenado were traded, Los Angeles would be the major betting favorite in my eyes. If I had to pick two other clubs though, I would suggest the Houston Astros and New York Yankees. The Astros will likely lose Alex Bregman this offseason and could see Arenado as a cheaper option (assuming St. Louis eats money on the deal), and the Yankees could use another right-handed bat in their lineup, especially as they are set to lose Gleyber Torres in free agency.

Willson Contreras

Destinations: Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres

If Willson Contreras would like to go elsewhere and be a part of a winning ball club next year, I think there will be no shortage of suitors out there.

His bat has been elite the last two seasons, meaning that even if a club does not view him as their catcher, he would still be well worth the $18 million owed to him each season for the next three years.

Seattle feels like such an obvious fit to me. They have young pitching that would be of interest to St. Louis, and they badly need bats for their lineup to get them over the hump. Contreras would easily be the best bat in the lineup, but could quickly become the number two option if Julio Rodriguez has a bounce-back season. The Mariners' elite rotation could carry them far with the addition of Contreras and maybe another bat or two for the offense.

The Astros stand out here again as well, as if they want to continue to compete at a high-level next year, their lineup likely needs a new right-handed presence in it. They had interest in trading for Contreras at the 2023 trade deadline but balked due to him needing to learn their pitching staff, but with the improvements he made defensively this year and a full offseason and Spring Training to work with their staff, his bat is too good to pass on. And again, they could play him at other positions.

We all know the San Diego Padres love themselves splash moves. They traded for Juan Soto two summers ago, signed Xander Bogaerts the following offseason, traded Soto the next offseason, and then turned around and acquired both Dylan Cease and Luis Arraez. They then bolstered their bullpen at the deadline with Tanner Scott and Jason Adam as well.

Adding Contreras to their lineup of Arraez, Bogaerts, Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Jackson Merrill would be a massive get for a club that will likely lose Jurickson Profar in free agency. The Padres have also struggled to get offense from the catcher's spot in recent years, so Contreras would be a massive upgrade for them there.

Again, who knows if Contreras would actually request a trade? I could easily see him wanting to help lead the organization into their next era of baseball and be a part of their next winning team. He wanted to replace Yadier Molina for a reason, and while I would not blame him for leaving now, I think he has plenty of reason to try and be a part of the solution here.

Ryan Helsley

Destinations: Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees

If the Cardinals are not going to contend in 2025, having an elite closer does not necessarily do them a whole lot.

Sure, they could extend him long-term, but extensions are a really tricky thing for relievers who will want as much money as Helsley will, which gives me doubt that one could happen between the two sides, especially if the Cardinals are cutting payroll.

Instead, the Cardinals can maximize Helsley's trade value this offseason and help infuse their farm system with even more young talent. Big trade packages have been given for elite closers in the past, and I could see the Cardinals really benefiting from what clubs can offer them this offseason.

The Baltimore Orioles make a ton of sense here. They have a deep farm system that they can tap into, and Baltimore has plenty of young bats, which are needed by the Cardinals. Their championship window is wide open right now and strengthening their bullpen could really help them in October. Their bullpen has been one of their weakest spots in recent years especially.

While the Toronto Blue Jays disappointed like the Cardinals this year, it is widely expected that they look to shuffle their roster in an attempt to compete in 2025. The Cardinals and Blue Jays have become frequent trade partners in recent years, and Toronto has shown interest in Ryan Helsley in the past. They too could use a major bullpen upgrade as they look to compete in the American League East.

While there are plenty of clubs who would make a call on Helsley, I threw one more American League East team on this list, the Yankees. Like the Blue Jays, the Cardinals have made many calls with the Yankees over the last few years, and no matter what happens this year, they are going to be right back in World Series mode in 2025. Helsley would be a major upgrade for the back end of their bullpen next season, especially as they prepare to lose Clay Holmes and Jonathan Loaisiga.

While the three veterans I mentioned earlier seem unlikely to be moved unless they indicate they would like to be elsewhere next year, Ryan Helsley screams trade candidate to me for the reasons I listed at the top. Many argued he should have been dealt at this past trade deadline as well. The Cardinals need to capitalize on his value this offseason as they themselves look to reset, and it would probably help Helsley to be in a winning situation next year as he approaches free agency.