4 Cardinals trade candidates from teams falling out of contention

These four players on disappointing teams could be targets for the Cardinals

The Cardinals are starting to heat back up! The team is in a much better place now than they were a week ago, having gained some ground in the standings for both the NL Central and the third Wild Card spot.

The Cardinals headed into Chicago with an awful 11-24 record and proceeded to win five out of six games on their road trip, including a three-game sweep over the Red Sox. The team has now won seven out of their last eight games and is on a four-game win streak after dismantling the Brewers by a final of 18-1 on Monday.

The offense is producing at a higher clip, the defense has cleaned up, the bullpen isn't as taxed, and the starting pitching is starting to look a little bit better as well, with back-to-back quality starts recorded by Miles Mikolas and Jack Flaherty.

Needless to say, the vibes around the city of St. Louis are much better, as are the vibes around the team. There's a little more pep in their step than compared to the previous week. The Cardinals are still 17-25 and own the worst record in the National League, but they may not be there for long.

Monday's win over the Brewers put them within 6.5 games of Milwaukee for first place in the NL Central. The Phillies also lost to the Giants, and the Cardinals moved to within 3.5 games of the third Wild Card spot.

However, it's still very likely that the Cardinals are going to need to make some trades if they're serious about a run. Here are four trade candidates from teams that are slipping in the standings.

Dylan Cease

Dylan Cease is somebody who Cardinals fans have theorized may be on the team's radar come the trade deadline. Unfortunately, the stats aren't great right now for the right-hander. After posting a 2.20 ERA last season, the 27-year-old has a 4.86 mark through his first nine starts.

However, Cease does possess some of the strikeout stuff that the Cardinals so desperately need. He owns a K-rate of just above 25 percent this season and posted a 30 percent K-rate in 2022. It's also worth noting that Cease got off to a slow start last season before kicking into gear.

His struggles could potentially lower his asking price at the trade deadline, in which case the Cardinals wouldn't have to give up too hefty of a load to get him. Still, he can give you innings coverage and possesses the strikeout stuff that the Cardinals really need in their rotation. He's also somebody who could more than likely be trusted to start Game 1 of a postseason series.

Alex Wood

While the Giants are still in postseason contention as of now and actually have a better record than the Cardinals, they're going to have a tough time getting back in the race for the NL West crown with the Dodgers pulling away and the Diamondbacks and Padres also in front of them.

In the event that they don't get back in the race, we could see them sell off a few pieces. Alex Wood might be a good option. The veteran left-hander had been out for some time with a hamstring issue but has worked his way back. It's a small sample size, but he owns a 2.87 ERA over his first five starts.

His strikeout rate sits just above 21 percent to start the season. One concern is that he has only thrown 15.2 innings this season and also has not made it through the fifth inning, so that could be a drawback for the Cardinals. At worst, however, he could be a viable rotation option as a potential stopgap until the deadline arrives or could be used in a long relief role.

Lucas Giolito

The White Sox are an interesting team to look at because they were expected to be a contender this season and have many valuable assets. Lucas Giolito is one of them.

The right-hander struggled last season, posting a 4.90 ERA over 30 starts. However, he appears to have bounced back this season. Through his first nine starts, the right-hander is 2-3 with an ERA of 3.86 over 53.2 innings pitched. And I'll sound like a broken record here, but a high strikeout rate is something the Cardinals are desperate for. Giolito has fanned 56 of the 223 batters he's faced, which amounts to a K-rate of just above 25 percent.

Giolito also has been a top-of-the-rotation starter at various points in his career. Adding him would also reunite him with his Harvard Westlake High School teammate Jack Flaherty. Perhaps if the Cardinals were willing, they could swing a deal for both Giolito and Cease, but the asking price might be too high for both of them in one package.