5 dream trade targets for the St. Louis Cardinals

These players may not be the shiniest of trade candidates, but they would help the team make a playoff push in a tremendous way.

Houston Astros v Chicago White Sox
Houston Astros v Chicago White Sox | Jamie Sabau/GettyImages
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Dream candidate #5: OF Kyle Tucker

The biggest outfielder who may get dealt this deadline is center fielder Luis Robert Jr. He's talented, he's performed outstandingly well, and he's young. The issue, however, is that Robert has yet to play more than 100 games in a single season. Injuries have brought him down.

Kyle Tucker, on the other hand, has been pretty durable for most of his career. He's currently out with a shin injury, and it's taking longer to heal than expected, but Tucker has been one of the best all-around outfielders in baseball for 5 years now.

The 27-year-old lefty is slashing .266/.395/.584 for a wRC+ of 175. He's already slugged 19 home runs in just 60 games, so his power is tantalizing. Tucker isn't a free agent until after next season. This would make him expensive given his team control, his age, and his production. The Cardinals would have to muster up quite the package to land the 2-time All-Star.

Tucker's defense is also noteworthy. He has one Gold Glove to his name, and he's been reliable in right field this year according to all defensive metrics. He's racked up 7 Defensive Runs Saved, 1 Out Above Average, and he has a 3.4 score according to Ultimate Zone Rating.

Landing Kyle Tucker at the trade deadline is a bit of a pipe dream. The Astros will likely remain close enough to the Wild Card to not sell, he's an elite baseball player, and the Cardinals may not be able to beat other teams with better farm systems. However, should John Mozeliak trade for the young outfielder, the team's offensive profile will change dramatically.

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