5 bold trade ideas to save the St. Louis Cardinals' season

Trade #4 - The Cardinals grab Aaron Nola from a fading Phillies club

The Cardinals receive RHP Aaron Nola for OF Dylan Carlson and RHP Michael McGreevy

I want to start by saying I think this scenario is pretty unlikely. The Phillies have started off slow, and they were my pre-season pick as the team in the National League to underachieve the most and miss the playoffs. Even if they end up doing so, they'll likely still be in contention for a Wild Card spot, which makes it hard to believe they'd trade Aaron Nola, even as he approaches free agency.

Should the Phillies feel like they are out of the hunt come July, I would expect them to cash in on Nola's value to the highest bidder. It's hard to know exactly what the Phillies would want for Nola, but since he's a rental, it wouldn't cost the same as other potential aces.

In this proposal, I have the Cardinals acquiring two months of Nola (with the intention to extend him) for Dylan Carlson and Michael McGreevy. With Rhys Hoskins being a free agent after this season and coming off a major knee injury, the club could look to move Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, or Kyle Schwarber to first base long-term.

Grabbing Dylan Carlson would give them a replacement in their outfield then, someone who can play excellent defense and contribute to their powerful offense from time to time. Michael McGreevy would be a nice addition to their rotation in the near future as close to an MLB-ready arm.