4 players who are off the trade block since the Cardinals entered the playoff race

On May 12th, the St. Louis Cardinals were 16-24, they sat 8 games back of the division, and the season was beginning to feel like the previous campaign.

Since then, the Cardinals hold one of the best records in the National League. They are 20-12 over the last 32 games, and prior to games on June 19th, the Cardinals hold sole possession of the second Wild Card spot. A month ago, the team would likely have been sellers at the deadline for the second year in a row. Another lackluster performance would have forced John Mozeliak to make drastic changes to the lineup regardless of the cost.

Oh how much a month can change.

Now, given the fact that they're in a playoff position, the team is pivoting to becoming buyers. Instead of giving up veteran players to restock the farm system, Mozeliak and his team must identify players on other teams who can help the Cardinals contend in the playoffs this year. John Mozeliak has already identified a depth starter and a right-handed outfielder with the ability to play center field as his two wishes.

Clearly, other additions will be made, but the point is that certain players currently with the Cardinals are safe now from being traded; they're no longer on the trade block. Instead, they'll remain on the roster to hopefully contribute to a playoff push in August and September.

I considered adding Dylan Carlson and Ryan Helsley to this list, but I think trading Helsley would be a savvy decision that wouldn't signal the team being buyers, and Carlson could be traded with a package of prospects to beef up the rotation. Trading these two players wouldn't be a seller's decision, as other relievers can be bumped up to backfill the bullpen, and if Mo acquires another outfielder like he's stated he would, Carlson becomes excess.

Jim Bowden listed a plethora of Cardinals who could be dealt at the deadline back on May 20th. I have chosen 4 players from that list who are no longer options to be traded. They'll provide more value on the roster now that the team is a stated buyer.

These 4 players who were once trade candidates are no longer so given the Cardinals' playoff position.

LHP JoJo Romero

JoJo Romero has been masterful as a high-leverage reliever throughout the season. The lefty reliever has thrown 33.2 innings this year with a 2.41 ERA, 0.891 WHIP, and an ERA+ of 172. His 20 holds are second only to Hunter Harvey of the Washington Nationals, and he's been a key fixture late in games for Oliver Marmol.

Romero has virtually shut down left-handed batters, as they are slashing .150/.227/.150 against him. He's struck out over 33% of left-handed batters that he's faced. While righties are faring a bit better against him, he's still been able to hold them at bay with a .721 OPS and a .238 batting average against.

Romero has been used the most of any Cardinal reliever, but he's outside of the top 30 relievers in innings pitched. What may cause him fatigue later in the year would be how often he's pitched in back-to-back games. A third of his games have come on consecutive nights, and he's struggled in those outings.

Regardless of when he's been used for the most part, Romero is an essential part of the bullpen. In my dream deadline, Mozeliak swaps Helsley out for some usable players, similar to what happened with Paul Sewald last year and Josh Hader 2 years ago. This would bump JoJo Romero and the next player on this list up in the closer pecking order.

Romero's ability to put the stamp down on left-handed batters makes him no longer available to other teams, especially if the Cardinals intend on making a big push this postseason. He isn't a free agent until 2027, so he has plenty of team control left.

RHP Andrew Kittredge

The Cardinals acquired right-handed pitcher Andrew Kittredge this past offseason in a trade that had Richie Palacios as the reciprocal piece going to the Tampa Bay Rays. Kittredge was acquired to pitch in high-leverage situations, and he's done just that this year.

My reasoning for keeping Andrew Kittredge is the same as it was for JoJo Romero. He's been an essential piece at the back end of the bullpen, and if John Mozeliak finds a good enough trade for Ryan Helsley, Kittredge will have to supplant the league's best closer. Kittredge would likely become the de facto closer, especially when a collection of right-handed batters are due up.

The last 10 days haven't been very kind to Kittredge, as he's given up 6 runs in 5 appearances, but he holds a 3.27 ERA in 33 innings on the year. His 1.121 WHIP is strong, and he's been able to strike out batters at a higher clip than he has in the past 2 years.

There are some concerns with Kittredge, specifically in his home run-to-fly ball ratio (17.2%); that's a high rate with a dangerous aspect of the game. Generating more groundballs would be beneficial to both himself and the team.

Kittredge is a free agent after this year, so there's a chance he's dealt. The return for the 34-year-old reliever who is on an expiring contract won't be much, but there is a chance the team capitalizes on whatever value he holds if they choose to keep Helsley. I don't see the Cardinals dealing Kittredge at the deadline since he's so important to their bullpen plan.

RHP Kyle Gibson

Kyle Gibson was supposed to be an innings-eating veteran who could slot in as the #4 or possibly #3 starter for the St. Louis Cardinals this year. He's been far better than that. Gibson signed a 1-year deal worth $13 million with a team option for 2025. That deal is looking like a masterstroke by John Mozeliak so far.

The 36-year-old righty has made 14 starts with a 3.44 ERA, 1.195 WHIP, 4.15 FIP, an ERA+ of 119, and a 7-7 record. This is his best season since 2021, and Gibson has been able to limit hits wonderfully. He's dropped his hits-per-nine ratio from 9.3 last year to 7.4 this year, and Gibson won't lead the league in hits allowed like he did last year.

Gibson was scratched from his latest start due to back tightness, but hopefully, this doesn't shelve him for an extended period of time. He's been a major reason as to why the rotation has been so successful this year. He's allowed more than 3 runs just 3 times in his 14 starts, and 2 of those came on April 7th and April 13th. He's given the team a chance to win in each of his outings.

A key to being an innings eater is to be able to pitch late in games with effectiveness regardless of the score. Even in games where Gibson allowed more than 3 runs, he still was able to pitch 6 innings, thus saving relievers. Gibby was once a candidate to be traded, but he's proven to be necessary in the rotation. His club option for just $12 million next year is almost a lock to be exercised by the Cardinals.