6 Cardinals who could be traded if they make seller's moves at the deadline

After dropping their third game in a row right before Tuesday's trade deadline and losing in embarrassing fashion to the lowly Washington Nationals, the St. Louis Cardinals may have an exceptionally hard decision at hand. As of right now, it looks like the team will try to add to the roster at the deadline to try to win the division or claim a Wildcard spot. However, now that the team sits 2 games back of a playoff spot in an extremely crowded NL Wildcard race, it may be prudent to sell off pieces in a difficult market to navigate.

"I don’t want to use six days to make a judgment on what we feel in the last two months that we’ve been able to accomplish. There’s a lot of optimism right now in our clubhouse. What we’re trying to do is find ways to get better.”

According to this quote by Katie Woo of the Athletic (subscription required), it seems like the Cardinals will buy, not letting a rough stretch deter them from doing so; however, that may not be the best idea. If they only make marginal improvements, such as adding a mid-tier starter and uninteresting relief arms, they may waste an opportunity to get a return for some expiring assets. The upgrades that would benefit the Cardinals roster meaningfully will probably be very expensive, as many teams closer to the playoff picture will either stand pat or buy. With their history of being extremely risk averse, St. Louis appears unlikely to make such a swing.

If they do decide to sell, there's a variety of ways they can go about it. They could just offload contracts expiring at the end of the season, but there are a few other assets that could provide a massive return. Here are six Cardinals that could be on the move if the team sells at the trade deadline.

Paul Goldschmidt could be traded

Paul Goldschmidt trades have been a topic of discussion amongst many Cardinals fans even before this rough stretch. Putting it simply, Goldy just hasn't lived up to his career standards, and his sharp decline has left many wondering if his presence on the team is a detriment to the club. If the Cardinals buy or stand pat at the deadline, Goldy isn't going anywhere. Despite his struggles, trading him would go counter to the way the Cardinals organization operates, as they would not want to sever ties with a future Hall of Famer in the final year of his contract. However, if they sell, it could be a different story.

While the Cardinals wouldn't get much of a return for their struggling veteran first baseman, they could offload Paul Goldschmidt's contract, allow him a chance at a World Series title with a contending team, and allow some of their younger players more playing time. If they retained some of his salary, they could get some interesting names in return. Otherwise, they'll probably have to settle for lottery ticket names.

Lance Lynn could be traded

One day before bringing in Kyle Gibson, the Cardinals brought back old friend Lance Lynn to bolster the rotation, serving a similar role as Gibson. However, while Gibson thrived in his role in St. Louis, Lynn has struggled greatly. He's been a fine backend starting pitcher, but his efficiency has been problematic. Unlike Gibson, Lance Lynn hasn't been able to give the Cardinals as many quality starts, often leaving games early with bloated pitch counts.

His 4.17 ERA has certainly been playable, but his underlying metrics indicate he hasn't been great at all. However, with pitching at a premium this year at the trade deadline, Lynn could bring back an interesting return as well. He certainly won't garner as big a return as Kyle Gibson, but if Mozeliak plays his cards right, they may get something worthwhile.

Andrew Kittredge could be traded

Andrew Kittredge has been a solid relief arm for the Cardinals in high-leverage situations this year, and he's on an expiring contract with no options for next year. So, if the Cardinals choose to sell, he'll probably be one of the first to go. Kittredge got off to a fantastic start this season, and while he's slowed down a bit recently, his 3.26 ERA through 49 appearances, mostly in high-leverage, will entice any contender looking to bolster their bullpen.

The Cardinals brought in Kittredge for Richie Palacios, an interesting outfielder with significant control, so they could probably expect something similar at the deadline. With relievers at a premium, the Cardinals could definitely get an exciting name or two in exchange for Kittredge.

Tommy Edman could be traded

Editor note: It has since been reported that multiple clubs are interested in acquiring Tommy Edman.

Like Ryan Helsley, Tommy Edman could be moved by the Cardinals even if they aren't sellers. The Cardinals have reportedly gotten interest in their injured utility man. If an opportunity presents itself, Edman could be moved in a Bader-Montgomery-style trade if St. Louis tries to add to the roster at the deadline. It could be a creative way to add a starting pitcher without giving up significant prospect capital and not depleting the Major League roster.

However, if they become sellers, Edman is perhaps an even likelier candidate to be moved. With uncertainty surrounding his injury status and a contract extension running through the end of 2025, the Cardinals don't really have room for Edman moving forward. With Victor Scott II still looming in Triple-A, the emergence of Michael Siani, and other options both in the infield and outfield, Edman was probably going to be forced out of St. Louis at some point anyway. He could bring back quite the prospect return from a team such as the Dodgers, looking for options at shortstop and in the outfield.