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. 1) Trading For Logan Gilbert

Logan Gilbert appears to be a fit for the Cardinals. Jon Morosi had reported earlier this month that the Cardinals had spoken to the Mariners about acquiring pitching for some position players. Derrick Goold also reported that Gilbert was of interest to St. Louis. Keep in mind, however, that in order to get talent, you have to give up talent, and it will likely take a serious haul to land Gilbert. But that doesn't mean the Cardinals shouldn't try.

It's going to likely take somebody like Brendan Donovan or Nolan Gorman, or even both of them if the Cards want the 26-year-old right-hander. The Mariners are in desperate need of some offense. Gilbert possesses some of the swing-and-miss stuff that the Cardinals have been in dire need of for years now.

It's been well documented that the Cardinals have way too many outfielders on their roster. This is where somebody like Lars Nootbaar, Dylan Carlson, Tyler O'Neill, or Alec Burleson could come into play. My guess is that it would take at least one of those four and one of Donovan or Gorman to land Gilbert, but it's worth the risk. Gilbert has ace potential and at the very least could slot in as a No. 2 starter

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.