Cardinals' Closer Riley O'Brien Called Fit For Surprise NL East Contender

The St. Louis Cardinals have yet to trade any of their main pieces ahead of the trade deadline, which is now just one day away. Dustin May, Ryne Stanek and JoJo Romero are their obvious trade candidates, with other players like Lars Nootbaar and Riley O'Brien being potential candidates as well.

O'Brien has saved 26 games this season, and that is among the league leaders in the National League.

The Cardinals will likely sell high on O'Brien if a team shows interest. They don't necessarily have to trade him, but he could bring back some good pieces if dealt. In The Athletic's latest trade deadline big board, the Washington Nationals were named a potential fit for the veteran closer.

"Among potential relievers, O’Brien is perhaps the most intriguing. The 2017 eighth-round draft pick pitched to a 2.06 ERA last season for St. Louis, flashing an elite fastball and extension. A season later, the extension and velocity are still there, but the results aren’t. Still, O’Brien largely limits hard contact and generates groundballs at a high level. That he won’t hit arbitration until 2028 and is controlled through 2030 makes him all the more fascinating."

Riley O'Brien named trade fit for Nationals

Jul 20, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien (61) throws in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Nationals are somewhat of a basket case in terms of how they are approaching the trade deadline. They already acquired left-hander Connelly Early from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for infielder Curtis Mead. They aren't exactly selling, but this was more of a contender-to-contender trade.

O'Brien owns a 3.50 ERA in 44 appearances and has recorded 46 strikeouts over 43 2/3 innings pitched. The interesting thing about O'Brien though is that he is not a free agent until 2031, which could enhance his value quite a bit.

The problem is that the Nationals might not be in a place to give up any top prospects or top-level young talent to make a deal happen. Still, they are in contention, while the Cardinals are slipping out of the race.

While O'Brien has not been the same pitcher he was in April, he still has been effective, and his years of control could certainly lead to the Cardinals picking up a nice haul in exchange.

Relievers can be very volatile and always have a short shelf life. O'Brien's value is higher than it may ever be beyond this season, so it might be a good idea for St. Louis to see what it can get in return while he has years of control remaining.

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