Who should stay and who should go in the Cardinals trade deadline blueprint

The St. Louis Cardinals are a surprise. How many times have you heard that? For a prolonged period, it felt like Cardinal Nation got next to no attention from the national media, and now, the baby birds are in the limelight. 

However, newly appointed President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom must be Spiderman, because his newfound success has brought even more responsibility. 

What at first looked like a grueling, lengthy overhaul has turned into a quick retool. St. Louis is competitive, and they aren’t going anywhere. Well, some of them might be. 

The MLB trade deadline hangs over Cardinal fans’ heads like a gloomy cloud. Rainy days can be really beautiful, but only when they end in rainbows. 

That’s a really cute way of saying: the Cardinals have some tough decisions to make at the trade deadline, and unless sell-off moves result in a bountiful return, Chaim Bloom’s first season at the helm will quickly sour. 

Below, Cardinals’ players are grouped into three categories: players who need to be traded ASAP, fringe trade chips, and foundational pieces for the 12th World Series championship in St. Louis. 

The primary trade chips

Aggressively shop: Dustin May, Ryne Stanek, Lars Nootbaar, Riley O’Brien, JoJo Romero

Dustin May: May was inked this past offseason to a one-year, $12 million deal. His injury history and an ineffective 2025 season definitely capped his value. It’s safe to assume the original plan was to trade him. However, Cardinals’ fans have grown rather fond of the fiery right-hander. 

His 98 mph heater and sharp sweeper are easily the best two pitches St. Louis has seen from a starting pitcher in the last four years. The May love peaked after he tossed a complete-game one-hit shutout against the San Diego Padres on June 15. May was masterful in his outing. It’s worth noting, however, that the Padres are easily MLB’s worst offense, and in his next start, May was pelted for six earned runs in two innings by the lowly Royals. 

The problem isn’t whether or not the veteran aids St. Louis now; he most certainly does. However, are a few more months of May worth more than the prospect capital he could bring back? Starting pitching is always in high demand at the deadline, and the Cardinals are sure to net a nice return if they were to trade him.

Current contenders in need of starting pitcher assistance include the Padres, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Astros, White Sox, and Orioles. 

Just last year, the Dodgers acquired prospect James Tibbs III, who has an OPS over 1.000 for May. 

If Bloom is serious about adding value to the minor league system, May is the easiest decision on the roster. 

Ryne Stanek: Stanek, similarly to May, was signed last offseason to a one-year deal. It was really exciting to bring home the Missouri native. Unfortunately, it looks like St. Louis added him a few years too late.

Stanek’s 5.22 ERA demonstrates his consistent inconsistencies all season. Everything came crashing down at once in his outing against the Twins on June 13. This rendition of Stanek is basically off-brand Jeff Hoffman. The strikeouts are real. When he’s in the zone, and he throws his splitter anywhere NEAR the edge of the plate, he’s effective. Unfortunately, the right-hander’s aim has been as wild as his temperament after a big K. 

St. Louis would be better off trading him to a contender looking for strikeouts, to clear a roster spot for a surging prospect. 

Lars Nootbaar: This one hurts. Nootbaar has been one of St. Louis’ pride and joys since his MLB debut. Remember when Nootbaar robbed Pete Alonso of a go-ahead bomb at Citi Field–tongue sticking out and his eyes as wide as the Big Apple? That’s the youngster most fans think of when they hear his name. 

The fan tradition of yelling “NOOOOOOT!” in a low humming unison has been one of the team’s better modern rituals. Unfortunately, it may be in the teams’ best interest to move on from the World Baseball Classic legend. 

The left-handed slugger has been solid when he’s on the field, so there should still be a market that seeks him out. His value stems from a knack for getting on base and versatility in the outfield. However, Nootbaar has been injury-prone the past few seasons, and while he’s rehabbed and worked his way back to the big leagues, other players have caught up. 

In particular, the Cardinals’ number three prospect, Joshua Baez, is knocking on Busch Stadium’s door. What’d he bring, you ask? 24 home runs, 12 stolen bases, and an absolute cannon of an arm. 

Baez is still softening his strikeout curve at Triple-A Memphis. While he works on that, the Cardinals could work on finding a new home for Nootbaar. 

The Nootbaar goodbye is simply the Baez soft launch. No hard feelings. 

Riley O’Brien: O’Brien was a breakout bullpen stud in 2025. The Cardinals’ project took a major leap forward, posting a 2.06 ERA in 46 innings. 

This season, he got off to an even better start. Through the first month, O’Brien was rivaling Padres’ Mason Miller for best relief pitcher in the National League. 

Now, he’s turned into one of the players who makes your local radio host go, ‘That’s why they play 162!’ This month alone, O’Brien sports a 7.71 ERA. Consequently, in his most recent outing, he allowed two earned runs and did his darndest to blow a slugfest against the Royals. 

Opponents have an OPS of over .800 when putting O’Brien’s first pitch in play, and that was BEFORE a Jac Caglionone first pitch bomb in the finale against Kansas City. 

His setup dominance from last season proves one thing: He’s got MLB stuff, but he’s not a closer. Just last season, his ERA ballooned from an elite 1.64 to 3.00 on the dot in save situations. 

St. Louis would be smart to back out before other teams wise up. 

JoJo Romero: In a manner that mirrors O’Brien, Romero has taken a major step back in 2026. After three straight seasons of great performance out of the St. Louis bullpen, the home run ball has taken over Romero’s latest campaign. The lefty has already allowed three more home runs than he did all of last season. 

The case to trade Romero is simple: left-handed pitching is anything but a commodity. Especially so when it’s quality left-handed pitching. 

Romero had a 2.07 ERA last season, and although his numbers this year are inflated due to a surplus of long balls, he still keeps batters on the ground and remains off the barrel at an above-average clip. 

Just this offseason, the Mariners sent premier catching prospect Harry Ford packing for a left-handed reliever. And dating back to 2023, the Royals acquired starting pitcher Cole Ragans for Aroldis Chapman. 

When July rolls around, there will be a playoff team whose primary southpaw landed on the IL. Teams will come calling, and Bloom must answer. 

Should they stay, or should they go? 

Fringe trade candidates: Pedro Pages, George Soriano, Alec Burleson, Andre Pallante, Nelson Velazquez

Nelson Velazquez: It’s a simple equation. The Cardinals took a flier on Velazquez, and he’s been solid. In a small sample size of 31 at-bats, the big slugger has a .323 average and an OPS of .975.

He’s functioned primarily in a platoon role, but could be a sneaky under-the-radar addition for a team that’s trying to compete, but doesn’t want to go ‘all in’ per se (CLEVELAND GUARDIANS). 

Pedro Pages: This one is more complicated than it may seem. To the naked eye, Pages is clutter. He’s in the way. And that’s a fair assessment.

In 127 at-bats, the backstop has -0.4 Baseball Reference WAR with a dismal 74 OPS+. Pages was, and is, a serviceable backup. More recently, however, his defensive calling card has slipped, and the Cardinals have continued to develop catchers at an elite rate. 

Crooks, Leo Bernal, Raniel Rodriguez, and Ryan Campos are just a few names threatening Pages for playing time. So what’s the problem? Why not just cut bait? Well, here’s a term: ‘glue guy.’ 

After the Cardinals promoted Crooks to the MLB level and basically demoted Pages to the team’s third option behind the dish, his demeanor remained unchanged. When someone homers, Pages is on the top step, smiling wide, doing the Tarps Off celebration. Players like that can be really impactful on a young team. 

Additionally, earlier in the season, Cardinals’ writer Brenden Scaheffer discussed how manager Oli Marmol highlighted “Pagés’ preparation, which the manager feels has grown over his time working with pitching coach Dusty Blake, turning Pagés into a key resource for the pitching staff.” 

Dealing Pages makes dollars and sense, but it could leave this exciting Redbirds roster rather soulless. 

George Soriano: If the Cardinals are going to trade away O’Brien and Romero, Soriano could be on the block as well. 

As of late, he’s been the team’s most relaxing phone call to the pen. Soriano’s 3.16 ERA in 31.1 innings is solid enough, and he’s also locked down two saves.

Bad teams don’t need good relievers, and if the Cardinals are selling hard, they’ll be a second-half barn burner. So what’s the hesitation? 

Soriano will hit pre-arbitration next year. With Svanson’s struggles and the potential offloading of O’Brien and Romero, who better to take over closing duties?

Additionally, if Soriano has a good stretch as the Cardinal closer in the second half, he’ll be even more valuable in the offseason–either for next year’s roster or as an offseason trade asset. Bloom should listen hesitantly. 

Alec Burleson: This is it. The big ticket. Bloom’s biggest blunderbuss. If he fires the Burleson bullet, fans will go ballistic. 

After bringing home the utility Silver Slugger in 2025, the East Carolina product has gotten even better. 

Burly currently ranks 20th in the National League in OPS at .841, and fourth in RBI at 55 (Jordan Walker is first). His career year is one of the main catalysts behind St. Louis’ rapid rise. 

The motivation to trade him away comes from a business standpoint. As a 27-year-old, Burleson’s timeline is slightly offset from JJ Wetherholt and the aforementioned RBI leader, Walker. He’s not old, but he’s older. St. Louis has prospects waiting in the wings for a chance, and even surging youngsters already in The Show. 

Since his promotion, Blaze Jordan has been fantastic at the dish and the hot corner, but there’s still skepticism as to his longevity at the position. 

Burleson would bring back the biggest return for St. Louis, which is the only reason to consider dealing him. It’s easier to replace a first baseman who can hit than anyone else the Cardinals might hold onto. 

There haven’t been many trades as of late that resemble a bat like Burleson’s with similar team control. That being said, it’s easy to dream on multiple top-15-esque prospects coming back in return. 

Bloom should surveil the market, just to be sure, but move with great caution. 

Andre Pallante: Same as Burleson, Pallante is having the best year of his career. After being the second-worst pitcher on the 2025 Cardinals to Miles Mikolas, the groundball specialist has completely retooled and reloaded for a bounce-back campaign. 

This season, his 3.76 ERA is second in the Cardinals’ starting staff. The argument to trade Pallante stems from his value in the now, and freeing up a rotation spot for an emerging arm such as Quinn Matthews or Jurrangelo Cijntje. 

St. Louis will have to make room for young starters at some point. Pallante would allow them to do so while also netting a solid return. 

Players that St. Louis cannot afford to trade

No trade list: JJ Wetherholt, Ivan Herrera, Michael McGreevy, Blaze Jordan, Masyn Winn

JJ Wetherholt: There aren’t enough words in the English language to describe Wetherholt’s rookie campaign. 

Superb, extraordinary, remarkable, prodigious, arresting, transcendental. All would suffice, but none could summarize. 

Wetherholt and his resplendent left-handed stroke are currently on pace for a higher bWAR season than rookie Albert Pujols. The Machine’s introduction is widely regarded as one of modern baseball’s best rookie seasons. If St. Louis’ second baseman outpaces La Maquina across 162 games, there will have to be some tough discussions.  

Wetherholt’s future in St. Louis remains uncertain after arbitration years, which is a disservice to the fan base. Cardinal loyalists have been waiting patiently for a young talent just like this, and now that they’ve got one, it shouldn’t be so easily let go of. 

Wetherholt fits St. Louis; he’s got a smile as wide as the Mississippi River and a swing as sweet as Ted Drews. The city is behind him, the fans are behind him, and the production is impossible to ignore. The only missing component in this equation is a check. 

Ivan Herrera: With the surplus of catching depth in its minor league system, St. Louis would be foolish not to listen on trade proposals for Herrera. 

However, listening and actually pulling the trigger are two different things. Bloom could use his young backstop to gauge the potential value of the rest of St. Louis’ depth, without moving him. 

This season, Herrera has retooled as a hitter and remains one of MLB’s most underrated bats. Shockingly, his 2.6 WAR according to Baseball Reference, is already a career high–even after his incredible 2025 campaign. 

The Cardinals have a real building block in Herrera. Unlike Burleson, he plays a marquee position in the field, which makes him that much more valuable. Does he play it well? Not entirely. But the athleticism is present, and the batted ball data is real. 

Herrera is a crystal ball into St. Louis’ future, not a bargaining chip from the past. 

Michael McGreevy: If the analytics call on this one, hang up the phone. McGreevy has consistently outperformed his peripheral numbers since becoming a Cardinal. And whilst doing so, he has turned himself into one of St. Louis’ clubhouse leaders. 

Pages is a glue guy; McGreevy is the example. 

Before the season, it was a staple talking point that the young right-hander had almost a strut in his step. He talked to new acquisitions, told them who to talk to for this and that, where to sit, and where to eat. Fans can forget what that kind of stuff means to a team. 

Looking back on the Cardinals of yesteryear, it was often complained about that St. Louis lacked a vocal leader. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado were superstars who set an example with numbers, not by holding others accountable. 

McGreevy has been the Cardinals’ voice and has pitched well, too. This season, his 3.35 ERA (which ballooned up after a rough outing against the Royals) ranks him in the top 20 in the National League. 

His arsenal is as deep as his impact on the team. As a rebuilding organization, the Cardinals must covet players who set the tone. 

Blaze Jordan: Since his promotion to The Show, here’s what the former high school prodigy has accomplished: 35 at-bats, 121 OPS+, an RBI single off Joe Ryan in his first AB, a mammoth home run in his first series, multiple clutch hits, and he’s only struck out four times. 

It’s too soon to cash in on value, or to move on. Simply put, Jordan needs a spot for the rest of the season–I.e, No more Randy Arozarenas. 

Masyn Winn: As rough as it’s been this season for the Cardinal shortstop at the plate, his defense remains in MLB’s upper echelon. 

Winn anchors the Cardinal infield. The amount of outs he’s stolen for the current groundball-focused pitching staff in St. Louis is hard to count. 

Winn has shown offensive upside, mans a premier position at an elite level, and is still only 24 years old. Sometimes people forget that he’s only a year older than Wetherholt. 

Winn has a bright future. If you can’t see it yet, maybe it’s blinding you. Throw on some shades. 

A tough summer in St. Louis 

The stove is gonna get hot soon. As hot as the St. Louis heat? Maybe, maybe not. But one thing is for sure: the Cardinals have some pressing decisions to make. 

Bloom and Co. will need to continue their good work to maintain trust with the fanbase. 

Tarps off, a winning record, one of baseball’s best booths, and the most exciting team in years have all come in year one of a new regime. 

The next test awaits. 

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