If the Cardinals are deadline buyers, two postseason heroes should be their targets

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Just a few weeks ago, I was ready to completely write the Cardinals off. So too was much of the fanbase.

However, things appear to have changed. Whether or not it's sustainable has still yet to be determined, but it is encouraging.

Earlier this month, everybody was ready to declare the Cardinals as sellers at the trade deadline. But with their recent stretch of play, they may end up being buyers instead.

This is what fans want. While yes, drastic changes do need to be made in terms of personnel in the front office and potentially even the dugout, it would be far more encouraging to see the Cardinals act as buyers and actually take steps towards building a true contender instead of remaining stuck in the middle.

The offense appears to have figured it out, and the bullpen continues its dominance. However, the starting rotation could still use some work, even after the additions of Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson, all of whom have performed quite well.

No, I'm not talking about going to get a fifth starter just to plug a hole. What the Cardinals need is a legitimate No. 2 starter to go next to Gray and give them a legitimate chance to make a deep run into the postseason.

While the Cardinals seem to be trending upwards, last year's World Series participants, the Rangers and Diamondbacks appear to be trending in the wrong direction and may end up being sellers. They may have some pitchers that could benefit the Cardinals, and we will be taking a look at two that could help.

Jordan Montgomery

It hasn't been a pretty start to the season for former Cardinal Jordan Montgomery. He owns a 3-2 record in his seven starts but has posted an ERA of 4.69.

Still, he's somebody who has proven to be a viable postseason pitcher and could easily pass as a No. 2 starter. In all honesty, he's probably a safer bet than somebody like Jesus Luzardo, and because he's on a one-year deal with a player option, he likely won't cost too much in trades if the Diamondbacks do decide to sell at the deadline.

St. Louis acquired Montgomery at the deadline in 2022 in the deal that sent Harrison Bader to the Yankees. A year later, the Cardinals traded him to the Rangers with Chris Stratton. Montgomery played a key role in the Rangers winning the World Series last fall, winning the clinching games of the Wild Card Series and ALCS.

The Cardinals should take advantage of the opportunity to bring Montgomery back if they remain in the mix, as having a legitimate No. 2 starter would give them a great chance to finally compete for a World Series title.

Again, his stats this year leave a lot to be desired, but he's still a proven guy who could really help the Cardinals if they want to be buyers again. We can only hope he's on their list of pitchers to target at the deadline.

Nathan Eovaldi

Another option for the Cardinals is Nathan Eovaldi. He has a player option for 2025 and his stats are quite good this season. In eight starts, Eovaldi has gone 2-2 and posted a 2.84 ERA.

Because of this, Eovaldi is likely going to cost significantly more, and given the Cardinals' track record, it might be unlikely that this deal comes to fruition.

But like Montgomery, he is a proven postseason pitcher and one that not only played a key role in the Rangers winning it all last fall, but somebody who essentially carried the Red Sox in 2018 when they won their last title.

The Cardinals will have to get creative if they want to pull off a deal for him. It might even require trading somebody like Victor Scott II. And before anybody goes after me on Twitter, it's important to remember that in order to receive, one must give, and the price tag for Eovaldi will be quite high if the Rangers decide to sell.

The Cardinals can't keep settling for half-measures, and this would be a perfect way for John Mozeliak to show the fans that he does indeed care about winning and wants to pull out all the stops to make St. Louis a World Series contender.

Will he do this? Probably not. But it's not a bad idea for him to at least give the Rangers a call when the time comes. It's also fun to imagine what he and Gray could do for them in the postseason should they get there.

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