Cardinals Should Take 'Wait and See' Approach to Trade Deadline

The trade deadline is coming, and the Cardinals have a decision to make.

May 15, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are off to a much better start than expected this season. They traded away a slew of veterans to set the stage for the future, yet find themselves just one game back of first place in the National League Central.

The trade deadline is going to present a couple of opportunities for them. They could sell pieces off, as they were expected to at the beginning of the season. However, they could also potentially add pieces as well as long as they don't deviate too far from their long-term goals.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic believes the Cardinals shouldn't rush to a decision, and instead wait and see where they are when the time comes.

"I still don’t think they have the starting pitching to contend the entire season, but the team is definitely taking a big step forward," Bowden wrote. "They could go either way at the trade deadline based on the standings."

Cardinals have decision to make at deadline

Apr 29, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Riley O'Brien (61) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Cardinals are right in the thick of the playoff race. If they continue to win games, then it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to see them do some light buying, as that shouldn't derail their future plans.

However, it's not as clear cut as one may think. They have two pitchers, JoJo Romero and Dustin May on expiring contracts, and Riley O'Brien could bring back a solid haul of prospects if they decide to sell. He has four years of club control remaining.

While the Cardinals may be in the mix right now, they also need to stay focused on the future, and they should still be focused on trying to get as much young talent as possible to set themselves up for that.

If they start to struggle, then the choice will be clear. Selling would be the obvious choice for a team that is thinking long-term rather than going all in for 2026, so it really does depend on where they are in the standings.

But because they are rebuilding, what path they will ultimately take isn't completely clear. They at least aren't stuck in the middle anymore and have picked a direction on where they will go in the future, but the trade deadline is still going to be a crucial part of the plan.

Buying big isn't the right call, but if they play well, doing some light buying might make sense.