3 trade deadline moves Cardinals can make that could be considered "buying"

The Cardinals are set to be true deadline sellers for the first time since John Mozeliak began his tenure as general manager and later president of baseball operations. We can expect pitchers such as Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty, and Jordan Hicks to be traded. But even with the Cardinals well out of contention, they are targeting controllable young starters and hope to get some back in trades.

But there are ways the Cardinals can also incorporate some buying into their trade deadline strategy this year. There are plenty of pitchers with team control out on the open market who could be had if the Cardinals desire to add a proven arm or two. While Cardinals fans have really been clamoring for the team to make a trade for Dylan Cease, it appears unlikely that the White Sox will be willing to move him.

But Cease isn't the only controllable arm the Cardinals could potentially target. It really depends on if they are going to target high-end pitchers or prospects. The goal is to acquire Major League-ready talent, or pitchers that are close to being Major League-ready. Teams like the Dodgers have a slew of young arms that the Cardinals could target at this year's deadline.

We're now just a week away, and things are about to get interesting. The market will be heating up soon. Here are a few moves the Cardinals can make that could potentially be considered "buying" as they begin to retool their pitching staff for the 2024 season.

Cardinals "buying move No. 2) Trading for Lance Lynn

It's easy to understand why people would be skeptical about the Cardinals trading for Lance Lynn. The 36-year-old has an ERA of 6.18 in his 20 starts, and it's fair to say that the Cardinals need better pitchers than him.

That is all true, but it doesn't mean Lynn should be completely off the radar. He possesses some of that coveted strikeout stuff despite his struggles and does have the eighth-highest strikeout rate in the majors. He also is a cheaper option if the Cardinals don't want to give up too much, and he has a club option for 2024. His strikeout-to-walk ratio has gone from 2.8 to 4.4 since he struck out 16 batters against the Mariners, so he is making some strides.

In addition, fans will need to accept that controllable top-level pitching may not be available to the Cardinals at this year's deadline. I'm not suggesting that John Mozeliak should do a dumpster dive, and if they can do better, they should try to.

But Lynn was one of three starters Derrick Goold reported the team had interest in. He is an experienced veteran with ties to the organization and valuable postseason experience, which could be beneficial to the Cardinals next season.

Cardinals "buying move No. 3) Trading For Bryce Miller

While we're on the subject of top-level controllable starting pitching, in the event that Gilbert is off limits for the Mariners, there is another promising young pitcher in their organization who could be of use to the Cardinals.

Bryce Miller owns a 6-3 record and an ERA of 3.50. He would certainly come at a lower cost than Gilbert and would also be under club control for several years. It wouldn't take an enormous haul, so I could see the Cardinals trading one of O'Neill or Burleson to acquire him.

Another option is Bryan Woo. Though he has struggled to the tune of a 1-3 record and 4.91 ERA in his nine starts. If Gilbert is off limits, Miller would probably be the next best thing, as the Mariners definitely won't trade Luis Castillo or George Kirby.