Could David Robertson be a fit for the Cardinals at the trade deadline?

The Cardinals have transformed themselves from obvious sellers to obvious buyers at the trade deadline this year. They were 15-24 on Mother's Day before rallying to snap a seven-game skid and go on a run to get back into contention. Since then, they are a National League-best 32-18.

Obvious needs for the Cardinals at the deadline are a right-handed bat and a starting pitcher, though based on John Mozeliak's recent comments, it appears that starting pitching doesn't appear to be a top priority any longer. That could obviously change in the coming weeks.

But it made me think about the possibility of adding a bullpen arm or two. If they want to add some depth to their 'pen, they could look to the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers for help.

Last year, the Cardinals got John King from the Rangers in the Jordan Montgomery deal. This year, the Rangers may look to trade guys like David Robertson, and I can't help but wonder how the veteran right-hander would fit in the Cardinals bullpen.

Could the Cardinals target David Robertson?

Robertson is obviously a veteran who has been around for quite some time. The 39-year-old won a World Series title with the Yankees in 2009 and has been a part of some very good teams. But this year, he may be on the move as the Rangers try and pivot to 2025.

In 35 appearances, Robertson is 2-3 with a 3.13 ERA. He's a guy that can be trusted in high-leverage spots, especially towards the end of games, as he does have plenty of closing experience.

But when you think about it, the Cardinals could use him. They've run into some issues with the availability of Ryan Helsley, Andrew Kittredge, and JoJo Romero. A big factor has been the absence of Keynan Middleton, but adding one extra high-leverage arm could alleviate the stress on the big three in the Cards bullpen.

I've also mentioned several times how I worry about another team blowing the Cardinals out of the water with an offer for Helsley, similar to the situation the Brewers found themselves in with Josh Hader a few years ago. In the event that this happens, it would be smart for the Cardinals to potentially target Robertson and still add a high-leverage arm to the bullpen.

I must stress that I don't want Helsley to be traded and that it would be foolish for the Cardinals to do it now. But if that comes to pass, they could then slide Robertson into the closer's role and still have somebody capable of locking things down at the end of games.

Regardless of what happens with Helsley, this is a move I would like to see the Cardinals make at the deadline. If they don't address their rotation, they still need to find a way to address the pitching staff, and the next best thing would be to add a high-leverage arm to the bullpen, though I would still like to see them add a starter, even after John Mozeliak threw cold water on the idea.

Robertson has great postseason experience, and that could be very beneficial for a Cardinals team looking to make it back to the playoffs after the disaster that was the 2023 season.