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.

Kyle Gibson could be traded

Kyle Gibson was brought in on a one-year contract with a club option for the 2025 season. Gibson has been quite effective as a middle-of-the-rotation starter recording a 3.97 ERA in his first 20 starts this season. His ability to go deeper into games and notch quality starts is extremely valuable in an era of load management. By consistently giving the Cardinals a chance to win with each outing, he's the second most valuable starting pitcher on the roster by quite a wide margin.

With the market of starting pitching looking extremely thin, especially if teams like the Texas Rangers don't sell at the deadline, Gibson could be one of the better arms available for teams looking for innings. If the Cardinals do decide to sell, Gibson would certainly bring back quite an impressive return for a rental. Given the package the Rays got for Zach Eflin, and what other sellers will certainly get for their arms, it could be very favorable for the Cardinals.

Ryan Helsley could be traded

Even if the Cardinals don't fully sell at the deadline, Ryan Helsley could find himself on the move. The market for relief pitchers looks incredibly thin, and considering the Angels got for rental closer Carlos Estevez, the Cardinals could get an absolute haul for their All-Star closer. Unlike Estevez, Ryan Helsley comes with an extra year of control and has a much stronger track record.

The Phillies gave up their 7th and 12th-ranked prospects for half a season of Estevez, so imagine what the Cardinals could get from the Dodgers or Orioles for an extra season of Ryan Helsley. It's unlikely St. Louis would extend Helsley past the 2025 season, considering the massive contracts top closers have been getting, and with the volatility of relievers, it may be best to sell high on one of the best closers in baseball. It may not be popular, but a Helsley trade would not be surprising at all.

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.