7 former Cardinals the team can trade for at the deadline

LHP Jose Quintana

When the St. Louis Cardinals acquired left-handed starter Jose Quintana in the summer of 2022 from the Pittsburgh Pirates, no one expected him to start Game 1 of the National League Wild Card that year for the team. Quintana was the team's best pitcher in the second half of the season, and he deserved the nod in the first game of the playoffs.

Quintana has always spoken fondly about his time in St. Louis; in fact, Willson Contreras reached out to Quintana prior to signing in St. Louis that offseason and Jose said that he would love to rejoin the Cardinals in the future. That desire may be mutually held by the Cardinals' front office.

Quintana's numbers aren't quite what they used to be, but he's still a serviceable depth starter at the ripe age of 35. He has thrown 78.2 innings across 15 starts, and he has a 4.58 ERA, 4.87 FIP, and a 1.322 WHIP. He isn't posting great numbers this year, but a change of scenery may do him well. He is in the final year of a 2-year, $26 million deal that he signed with the Mets, so he, too, is a true rental pitcher.

His sub-par stats, his age, and his lack of team control will make Quintana a cheap, acquirable pitcher. If John Mozeliak is looking for a fifth starter who is familiar with the organization and will give you 5-6 innings a night, Jose Quintana is his guy. Acquiring him won't boost the rotation much, but it will provide depth should more injuries arise. Even though the Mets have won 8 of their last 10 games, they still sit 3 games below .500. If the National League Wild Card race sees any semblance of separation, the Mets will surely sell off their expiring pieces.