Struggling Angels Could Be Perfect Trade Partner For Intriguing Cardinals Outfielder
The St. Louis Cardinals should be in full-on panic mode at this point.
St. Louis currently is in last place in the National League Central at 35-50 and has just a 6.2 percent chance of making the postseason, according to FanGraphs. The Cardinals have been in the news lately as the club attempts to determine its strategy for the upcoming trade deadline. Even if stars like Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado remain with the team, there are sure to be plenty of moves.
One player who has had his name pop up in trade rumors lately is young outfielder Dylan Carlson. One team that could make perfect sense for a deal for Carlson certainly is the Los Angeles Angels.
Los Angeles is in the middle of an interesting season, itself. The Angels are 4-10 over their last 14 games and currently are 45-43. Los Angeles is looking to prove to two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani that the club can compete so it doesn't lose him in free agency. The Angels have been bitten by the injury bug in a major way lately with superstar center fielder Mike Trout, third baseman Anthony Rendon, and even Ohtani suffering various injuries.
Trout likely will miss a chunk of time after suffering a hamate fracture, so a move for an outfielder makes sense for Los Angeles. The Angels do have young outfielder Jo Adell who likely will receive more time now with Trout on the shelf, but a move for someone like Carlson could help give Los Angeles more options as it looks to stay afloat until Trout returns. The young St. Louis outfielder has slashed .248/.328/.389 to go along with five home runs and 19 RBIs in 51 games so far this season while also playing solid defense.
St. Louis has a logjam in the outfield with Carlson, Jordan Walker, Lars Noobaar, Alec Burleson, and eventually Tyler O'Neill with the club, not to mention Tommy Edman who has seen time in the outfield this season. The Cardinals -- like many teams -- could use an upgrade in the pitching department. At this point, it seems like the 2023 campaign may be lost, but attempting to add a young hurler like Angels No. 4 prospect Sam Bachman or No. 9 prospect Ben Joyce could make some sense.
Los Angeles is desperate to compete this season so maybe the Cardinals could get a solid return for someone like Carlson or even O'Neill. The trade deadline is set to pass on August 1, so stay tuned.
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