5 trades the Cardinals likely wish they could do over

Trade 2: Texas Rangers receive Adoils Garcia. St. Louis Cardinals receive cash considerations

When he debuted with the Cardinals in 2018, the 25-year-old Adolis Garcia was mainly viewed as a throwaway prospect to fill outfield depth on the roster. He was never expected to contribute much at the Major League level and wasn't even a top-30 Cardinals prospect at any point. When he was designated for assignment, there was hardly much uproar.

Ultimately, the Cardinals traded Garcia to the Rangers for cash considerations and nothing more. Nobody could've predicted the ascension to stardom that Garcia would eventually mount. Not even the Rangers. In fact, the Rangers designated Garcia for assignment before the 2021 season to make room for Mike Foltynewicz. Fortunately for Texas, nobody claimed Garcia off waivers when given the opportunity, and he was outrighted to Triple-A. The Cardinals, and all 28 other MLB teams, could've picked Garcia up for free, but they chose not to.

Foltynewicz was dreadful for the Rangers in what would be his final MLB season. Still, Garcia was eventually called back up, selected as an All-Star, and finished fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting, losing out to the next player on this list. He steadily improved from 2021 to 2023, eventually winning the World Series. He was a key contributor to the Rangers' pennant run, earning ALCS MVP honors.

With plus defense in right field, which earned him a Gold Glove in 2023, Garcia could've solidified a very shaky outfield core for the Cardinals. Obviously, nobody could've predicted his miraculous rise in the Majors, but the Cardinals certainly wish they had held onto Garcia for a bit longer.