The St. Louis Cardinals can correct this major mistake from 2017

At 15-48, dead last in all of Major League Baseball, and amid a record-breaking 13-game losing streak, the Chicago White Sox have opened up to teams about a teardown. Among the players open to trades are pitchers Erick Fedde, Garret Crochet, Tim Hill, Michael Kopech, and outfielder Tommy Pham. However, one player St. Louis Cardinals fans might be interested in is Luis Robert Jr. 

At the beginning of the 2017 season, the Cardinals were in the mix to sign Robert Jr. from Cuba but failed to offer more money than the Chicago White Sox. Despite a lengthy injury history, Robert Jr. has been a productive batter with the White Sox. In five seasons, Robert Jr. kept his OPS+ at 100 or above each year since he debuted in 2020. 2023 was a masterful year for Robert Jr., where he was an All-Star and Silver Slugger. 

My colleague Josh Jacobs created this trade idea after the 2023 season, which centers around Nolan Gorman and Tink Hence. The focus was to keep Jordan Walker with the Cardinals, but his name will be discussed with Walker still in the minors at the beginning of June.

So, will Mike Girsch and John Mozeliak be willing to trade Walker this time? I doubt it. Also, the Cardinals will make a huge mistake trading Gorman right now, as he has become a critical part of this year’s offense.

So here is who the Cardinals might offer without giving up on Jordan Walker.    

Cardinals receive: Luis Robert, Jr.

White Sox receive: Lars Nootbaar, Dylan Carlson, Tink Hence, Chase Davis, Michael McGreevy

I am not sure this is enough to convince the White Sox to trade Luis Robert, Jr., but St. Louis will have to part with a young prospect or two. In this case, it is Tink Hence and Chase Davis. If Mike Girsch and John Mozeliak want to correct the mistake from 2017 and trade for Robert Jr., they will have to part with a prospect they do not want to lose.