Cardinals a 'Dream Match' for Mariners Ace Logan Gilbert, Although Unlikely

The St. Louis Cardinals could use an ace, but it would be shocking to see the club swing a deal this summer.

Jun 27, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert (36) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's certainly going to be interesting to see how the St. Louis Cardinals end up handling the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline in a few weeks.

After taking down the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, the Cardinals are now 48-43 on the season and have held their own overall in what is the club's most difficult stretch of the season so far. The club is nearing the end of a 14-game run against the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, and the Brewers. So far, the Cardinals are 5-4 with four games left to go. The Cardinals will finish off a five-game series against the Brewers on Thursday and then will play three more games against the Braves.

Right now, the Cardinals are on the outside looking in on the playoff race and are two games back from a National League Wild Card spot. The Cardinals aren't in a spot right now to go out and make a splash. They are in the first year of a reset period and aren't guaranteed to land a playoff spot. While this is the case, ESPN's Jeff Passan listed the Cardinals in a column on Thursday about top moves for contenders. For the Cardinals, Passan called Seattle Mariners hurler Logan Gilbert the "dream match" for St. Louis, although he acknowledged that the Mariners have "zero intention" of moving him this summer.

The Cardinals Need An Ace For The Next Step In Their Reset

Jul 4, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starter Logan Gilbert (36) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"Weakness: Rotation depth," Passan wrote. "Best match: Robbie Ray, LHSP, San Francisco Giants. Dream match: Logan Gilbert, RHSP, Seattle Mariners. ... The Mariners have zero intention of moving Gilbert, who has been their best starter, but with free agency beckoning after the 2027 season and Kade Anderson big-league-ready and Ryan Sloan not far behind, it's worth bookmarking his name as a potential trade candidate going forward — particularly for a team like St. Louis that's bound to devote more resources to winning next year."

Gilbert is the type of player the Cardinals should be targeting this upcoming offseason, and not this summer. The Cardinals are in the first season of a reset under Bloom, but have shown that they are ahead of schedule, thanks in large part to the performance of guys like Jordan Walker and JJ Wetherholt, among many others. If they were to get an ace, it would do wonders for their chances in the division and National League playoffs. But the Cardinals aren't in a position to deal prospects away just yet.

The Cardinals need a legit, top-of-the-rotation ace to take the next step towards contention. It would be a shock to see the Cardinals deal prospects away this summer because it's hard to imagine that the club will contend with the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers or the Atlanta Braves this season. But the 2027 season is more likely.

If the Mariners were to ever make Gilbert available, he would be a "dream" addition after this season. He has a 3.19 ERA this season in 18 games and has a 3.53 career ERA in six seasons with Seattle. Gilbert is also just 29 years old. He has only one more season of control left. When the season wraps up, the Cardinals need to go get an ace. Gilbert would be the perfect option, but not this summer.