Ranking the 10 starting pitchers that the Cardinals should explore trading for

5. Edward Cabrera

Like Seattle, it's unknown whether or not the Marlins will actually trade a starter this offseason for bats. The recent loss of GM Kim Ng throws a wrench into how the Marlins will operate, so who really knows what they'll do?

If the Marlins want to upgrade their lineup, Cabrera may be the best piece to use to do so. They really need to keep Perez, Luzardo, and probably Garrett to make sure their rotation remains a strength, but they could use Cabrera's upside to get the bat they want.

In 2023, Cabrera struck out 10.7 batters per nine innings while walking almost 6 batters per nine as well, which led to a 4.24 ERA in 99.2 innings of work. He was excellent in 2022 though, posting a 3.01 ERA in 14 starts. Cabrera has top-of-the-rotation stuff, and if he can figure out how to keep the ball in the zone just a little bit more, that stuff can truly shine.

Honestly, feels like a potential trade package centered around some combination of Tyler O'Neill, Dylan Carlson, Alec Burleson, and Ivan Herrera. I could see one of O'Neill or Carlson packaged with one of Burleson or Herrera being a really interesting trade for both sides.

Cabrera, unlike the earlier names on this list, seems to have the widest range of outcomes. He could just be a back-end guy with swing-and-miss stuff, or he could blossom into the guy that many have dreamed he would become. I'm not giving up one of my best young bats for him, but I'm willing to risk some of the valuable secondary pieces to roll the dice on Cabrera. I don't think Miami is going to want to spend to upgrade their lineup, so it makes me think they'll be open to swinging some kind of deal like this.