6 Cardinals players that won't survive the trade deadline

Tyler O'Neill

We are now in the more speculative part of the list here. Tyler O'Neill has long been rumored to be available in a trade due to his back injury and the drama between himself and Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol. It seems like a parting of ways could benefit both parties in the short and long term.

O'Neill should, in theory, be an attractive trade chip at the trade deadline. Unlike a lot of the other names on this list, O'Neill still has a year of team control after this season and when he is actually on the field, he is very productive player on both sides of the ball. If he can be anything resembling the guy he was in 2021 where he hit 34 homers and won a Gold Glove, some team could end up with a steal.

However, staying on the field has been a real problem for O'Neill in his career. In addition to the back injury this year, he has dealt with issues with his hamstring and shoulder the last couple of years. The extra year of team control helps his case, but contenders looking for immediate offensive help may steer clear of him.

Paul DeJong

Finally, we come to Paul DeJong who has increasingly been the subject of trade rumors as the season has gone on. DeJong's contract is particularly attractive to teams needing an infielder as he has two club options for 2024 and 2025 after this season. Those options aren't particularly cheap, but they give the team that acquires him some options if he is awesome in the second half.

The Dodgers have already been mentioned as an option on the trade market for DeJong and even if that doesn't work out, there will be suitors for DeJong. With Masyn Winn lurking in the minor leagues, DeJong is expendable and could bring back talent that could help the Cardinals in 2024 and beyond.

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