6 impact starting pitchers the Cardinals could trade for at an affordable price

The St. Louis Cardinals clearly need to add another starting pitcher to their rotation between now and the trade deadline. John Mozeliak's additions of Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn have worked out great so far, but they lack the rotation depth necessary to cover games when any member of their starting five is down.

The best-case scenario for the Cardinals' rotation this summer is to add another starting pitcher to their mix and then slide Steven Matz to the bullpen and their sixth starter whenever an injury occurs. Matz just has not been able to be effective enough in the rotation this year, and upgrading over him and the other depth options like Andre Pallante would be a big win.

Now, as much as I agree that the Cardinals lack a second front-line starter, I don't think this is the deadline for them to go in on one.

Instead, I think this is the year where I would actually support buying in the mid-tier market, going after a starter who can make a significant impact on their rotation while not requiring them to break the bank at all. I know it's not flashy, and I know it doesn't necessarily make them dangerous in October, but it does help them get there, and anything can happen once you make the postseason.

I'm not a "just get in" type of guy when it comes to team building, but this club is multiple moves away from being a favorite, so I'm not sure it makes sense to make that kind of splash when other clubs like the Dodgers, Padres, Orioles, Yankees, etc. will be more desperate than you.

Just too expensive: Garrett Crochet and Jesus Luzardo

I really do not see the Cardinals going after either of these high-end arms at the trade deadline. July seems to be when prices spike on pitching, as every single contender wants to add more. If the Cardinals were one of the front-runners in the National League right now, I'd say get into the sweepstakes. But with how thin the farm system is right now, I'd rather hold onto prized prospects like Tink Hence than deal them away.

Here are 6 impact starting pitchers the Cardinals could trade for at the fraction of the cost