6 trade deadline ideas for the St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals continue to sputter in 2023, and as the calendar gets deeper into June, there is a growing realization among fans that the iteration of the team they are seeing is not a mirage: The Cardinals just aren't that good this year.

The idea of the Cardinals being sellers at the trade deadline seemed ludicrous before the season. With an offense piloted by Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and newly acquired catcher Willson Contreras, the Cardinals seemed to be an easy pick to repeat as National League Central champions, even if their starting rotation was a question mark.

Unfortunately, the season has spun off the rails, as the offense hasn't delivered as hoped and the starting pitching has had its expected warts. With the Cardinals at the bottom of the worst division in the National League, there are arguments to make about whether they should sell their assets and try again next year or if they should try to compete in a division where they are still somehow only 8.5 games out of first place.

Dane Aerne-Moore, a former Redbird Rants writer, is firmly on the “sell” train, and he whipped up a few ideas on players the Cardinals could deal and some prospects they could acquire from teams that would make suitable trade partners. I gave my thoughts on these deals as well. Not all of the ideas are full trades; some are merely players on the Cardinals who would fit on certain opposing clubs.

These six trade ideas could help the Cardinals replenish their cupboard and build for the future.