Cardinals Breakout Star Named Best Fit for Dodgers Trade

The St. Louis Cardinals have a hurler that any team in baseball would be fortunate to have in closer Riley O'Brien.

While O'Brien has been in the middle of a cold streak recently, he still has a 3.95 ERA and 15 saves in 27 outings so far this season. On top of this, he is under team control for four more seasons beyond the 2026 season. That's the thing that makes him the most valuable right now. O'Brien was one of the hottest overall pitchers in baseball out of the gate to begin the 2026 season, so you know it's in there. If the Cardinals were to make him available this summer, he would likely bring one of the best returns of any reliever in the game, in large part because of the four seasons of control.

That's not to say the Cardinals should necessarily look to flip him. The Cardinals are good this season and are 32-28 through 60 games. Maybe they could make a run for a playoff spot this season. But even if they don't, there has been clear progress with the organization this season and they aren't far away from being in that sort of mix. Arguably, the Cardinals could contend as soon as 2027 if they add a few pieces this upcoming offseason. So, if the Cardinals feel like they can contend on the sooner side, keep O'Brien. If they think it will take a little longer and can get a good return, look to make a move.

Will The Cardinals Trade Riley O'Brien?

May 29, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien (61) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

There are teams out there that could put together an intriguing package. For example, ESPN's Jeff Passan shared a column on Thursday with trade deadline nuggets and takes for each team and had O'Brien among the best first for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"Best fit: Tarik Skubal (or Riley O'Brien)," Passan wrote. " ... Paying a premium price for a short-term contract goes against how they prefer to operate, but the Dodgers have built such a good farm system — and one that, heavy on controllable arms and dynamic outfielders, matches up perfectly with Detroit's needs — that it makes too much sense for them not to be involved in the discussions.

"It ends up one of two places: They get the best pitcher in the world, or they drive up the price for others already struggling to keep up with them. And if the latter is the outcome, using a player or two to get O'Brien as insurance for injured closer Edwin Díaz -- and having him be the long-term replacement for Blake Treinen, with a filthy sinker-slider combination — is a worthwhile pivot."

When The Athletic's Keith Law recently released his updated top-50 prospect list, the Cardinals were with the San Francisco Giants and the Seattle Mariners for the second-most prospects on the list with three. The Dodgers led the way with six. The Dodgers' farm system is loaded and they're trying to win now and earn their third straight World Series title before the CBA expires and things could change around the league. If the Dodgers are willing to put together a package with a few elite prospects, then it's a conversation worth having.

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