Cardinals Have 4 Players to Watch Closely Before Trade Deadline

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to have a lot of decisions to make this summer.

Aug 29, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (21) breaks his bat on a pitch in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

By the time the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline comes and goes on Aug. 3, it would be a surprise if the St. Louis Cardinals don't trade at least a few pieces away.

Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom clearly isn't afraid to make a deal, as shown by trading Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray this past offseason. That's not all, though. Two of those four trades came with the Boston Red Sox in separate deals. As long as there is value to be had, Bloom has shown that he's willing to roll the dice, and it has worked out so far for the organization.

Despite the fact that the Cardinals are 29-25 on the season so far, Bloom acknowledged already that the expectations for the club haven't shifted. ESPN's Jeff Passan also said it's "very unlikely" that St. Louis goes out and makes a splashy addition.

With that being said, who should the Cardinals shop this summer?

Lars Nootbaar — Outfielder

Sep 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) stands at bat against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Nootbaar arguably is the most obvious one. He has just one more season of control left and is nearing his return to the big league field after undergoing surgery on both his heels this past offseason. He's going to help this club in the short term, but the Cardinals should look to see if there are any deals out there around the deadline.

JoJo Romero — Relief Pitcher

Apr 15, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jojo Romero (59) pitches against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning at Busch Stadium. Players and coaches are wearing number 42 in recognition of Jackie Robinson Day. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The other obvious one. Romero was a trade candidate this past offseason and it's a bit surprising that he didn't get moved because of the fact that he's going to be a free agent after the 2026 season wraps up. Romero has a 2.92 ERA in 24 appearances so far this season. Someone should pay a high price for that production.

Nolan Gorman — Third Base

May 19, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman (16) hits a two run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Gorman has been excellent defensively. He's in the 82nd percentile with two outs above average. But his offense just hasn't been consistently there. He's slashing .216/.301/.345 with a .646 OPS, six homers and 25 RBIs in 51 games. It's known that he has power potential, but it's not translating to the batter's box. The Cardinals have Blaze Jordan down in Triple-A, who could replace him.

Dustin May — Starting Pitcher

May 27, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dustin May (3) watches his no hitter broken up in the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Dustin May carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning on Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers, although he ended up suffering the loss in the contest. He has a 4.57 ERA in 11 starts and has a mutual option for the 2027 season. Right when he was signed, the chatter out there has been about how it could be a short stint with the club.