Who should stay and who should be removed from the Cardinals' rotation after deadline

The Cardinals' rotation has been a bright spot this season. That's especially encouraging after the way the unit struggled last year. Adam Wainwright fell apart, Miles Mikolas regressed significantly, and young starters proved they weren't ready to step up. Over the offseason, the front office did little to assuage concerned fans. While Sonny Gray represented a massive upgrade, many harbored doubts about the two additional acquisitions: Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson.

Fast forward several months, and the Cardinals have a winning record. Their offense, as many have noted, has held the pitching staff back. Gray has pitched like an All-Star. Mikolas has rebounded after a tough start. Gibson has been one of MLB's most pleasant surprises. Even Lynn has pitched serviceably. In place of the injured Steven Matz, Andre Pallante has performed well. Even Matthew Liberatore has made a few solid spot starts.

The team's strong performance over the past two months has justified investment at the deadline. The Cardinals will upgrade their rotation, though to what degree remains undetermined. When they do, they will have no choice but to relieve at least one current starter from rotational duties. In this article, we'll discuss their options. Who deserves to stay? Who doesn't? What happens to displaced pitchers?

There are a handful of pitchers we won't even need to discuss here. Sonny Gray is the ace, and he won't be relieved of his duties. It's highly unlikely the Cardinals acquire another pitcher of his caliber, though doing so would certainly strengthen the roster for a stretch run. Kyle Gibson has pitched phenomenally. Assuming he doesn't implode over the next few weeks, he will remain comfortably within the rotation. However, names like Andre Pallante, Lance Lynn, Miles Mikolas, and Matthew Liberatore are worth discussing.