Cardinals Could Be 'Threat' in Pitching Market If Standings Hold

The St. Louis Cardinals are playing well enough to start thinking about potentially adding.

Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are among the best overall teams in the National League right now.

Who saw that coming?

The Cardinals entered the 2026 season with very low expectations. But they're currently 40-32 and have the fourth-best overall record in the National League. The Cardinals are in second place in the National League Central and are five games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. St. Louis would have the third-best record if it were in the American League behind the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Cardinals have been a feel-good story and have played well enough to at least think about the possibility of adding a piece this summer before the trade deadline. St. Louis shouldn't make any move that would require dealing away any of the club's top prospects. But if there is a deal that could be had with big league depth, like Nolan Gorman, or something like that, the Cardinals shouldn't shut the idea down.

The Cardinals Should At Least Consider Looking To Add

Aug 28, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chaim Bloom, Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox on the field before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

On Thursday, The Athletic's Jim Bowden shared a column on Thursday and noted that the Cardinals "believe" their biggest need is on the pitching side and that the club will be a "threat" for a starter if they're still in the playoff race this summer.

"St. Louis Cardinals," Bowden wrote. "Need: Pitching. The Cardinals have been the biggest surprise team in the NL, and they believe that their biggest needs are on the pitching side — both starting and relieving. They think many of their pitching needs can be filled through promoting prospects. That said, if they stay in the race, they’ll be a threat for one of the starting pitchers on the market."

The Cardinals do have starters ready to roll down in the minors. Hunter Dobbins could easily slide into the rotation. Quinn Mathews and Brycen Mautz are other options in Triple-A. If the Cardinals do look for pitching, adding a back-end starter could be an intriguing move if Kyle Leahy were moved to the bullpen where he had success in 2025.

At this moment, nothing should be considered likely. But reports and chatter like this is a direct response to how the team has played this season, which is positive. The last three seasons have been all doom and gloom. Right now, the Cardinals are playing well enough to at least talk about the idea what adding a piece could look like.