One trade candidate from every MLB team the Cardinals should consider

Washington Nationals: Joey Meneses, 1B

Joey Meneses burst onto the scene as a 30-year-old rookie in 2022, hitting .324 with a .930 OPS. He couldn't repeat those numbers in 2023, hitting .275 and hitting the same number of home runs as he did last season (13) despite 389 more plate appearances. He might get squeezed out of the Washington Nationals' everyday designated hitter role and probably wouldn't play a big role on the next contending Nationals team.

Meneses hits fastballs well, with a .301 average against them in 2023, but the breaking ball stymied him; he hit only .228 against them, a far cry from his unsustainable .343 average against breakers in 2022. Even so, Meneses proved that he can be a useful bench bat and occasional first baseman. With the Cardinals potentially getting Paul Goldschmidt more days off his feet at age 36, Meneses could find himself inserted into the lineup more than expected.

The Nationals outperformed expectations last season, but they're still a rebuilding club. Washington will be in search of prospects to develop, and given Meneses' crash back to earth last season, he wouldn't require a massive haul.

Not every team works as a logical trade partner for the Cardinals, but every organization has something to offer on the major league side for the right price. The Cardinals should explore every nook and cranny to find the players they need. Sometimes even the most seemingly insignificant trades can reap huge rewards, as the Cardinals have witnessed from the wrong side several times lately.