Cardinals Trade Deadline: Three Arms to Deal (and One Star to Keep)

The St. Louis Cardinals have a lot of decisions to make over the next five weeks before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Apr 21, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have five weeks, as of writing, to determine how the organization wants to handle the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline.

Now, it's important to note that the front office has been pretty clear about its thoughts on the season so far. While the Cardinals have been very fun this season, St. Louis will not be sacrificing the future for the present. Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom made that point clear. He said that the Cardinals aren't taking any "shortcuts" this season. Chief executive officer Bill DeWitt III said that if the Cardinals can keep up their performance from the first half of the season, it could "change a little bit" how the front office views the season. But, again, this isn't a team that is going to go out and make a splash and target the biggest names in the trade market, like Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers or Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox.

So, with all of that being said, what should the Cardinals do?

St. Louis Has A Busy Few Weeks Ahead

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

Arguably, the best path forward would be some sort of hybrid of buying and selling. The worst move would be doing nothing. Then, you're not making the team better right now and filling roster holes and you're also not making the team better for the future. That would be the worst-case scenario. Right now, the Cardinals look good enough that they shouldn't hold a full-scale fire sale. And they're also not going to go make a massive splash.

So, that's why you walk a tight rope. Trade away pieces that don't fit the long-term goals of the organization. For example, JoJo Romero is going to be a free agent after the season and Ryne Stanek has a $6 million club option, which would be a surprise if it got picked up. If you trade both of these guys, you could replace them with guys like Luis Gastelum from Triple-A Memphis and also Ryan Fernandez when he's ready to be activated off the Injured List.

It's Going To Be A Long Five Weeks For St. Louis

Jun 15, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) reacts after throwing a complete game one hitter against the San Diego Padres at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Tink Hence hasn't been great this season, but you could roll the dice on him in the majors as well. Plus, Quinn Mathews and Hunter Dobbins are both in Triple-A as well. You could put either in the rotation and move someone, like Matthew Liberatore, to the bullpen. Or, you could simply put either Mathews or Dobbins in the bullpen. There are options.

This is to say, shop both Romero and Stanek. Romero would get a better return. In that scenario, attempt to bring a cost-controlled pitching prospect to town.

The biggest questions for the Cardinals this summer will revolve around Dustin May and Lars Nootbaar. May has a mutual option for the 2027 season and they almost never get picked up. Nootbaar has one more season of control left. May has been a bright spot this season, but again, mutual options almost never get picked up. This summer, the Cardinals should shop the big righty. He's 28 years old and arguably would bring the biggest return back to St. Louis. Go get a controllable young starter, or a high-end slugger prospect in a package. When May ultimately becomes a free agent after the season, you could always try to sign him again. In the meantime, the Cardinals could replace him in the rotation with Dobbins or Mathews.

Arguably, the Cardinals should keep Nootbaar through the trade deadline, unless there is an offer St. Louis can't refuse. He's batting .294 with two homers in 20 games played after coming off the Injured List and is a leader for the organization. This is where walking a tight rope comes into play. Sure, it would make sense to flip Nootbaar. The Cardinals could replace him in the lineup with Joshua Báez, but there would be a clear hit to the clubhouse with Nootbaar out the door. Instead, the Cardinals should look to flip him in the offseason. They could still get good value then with a year left before he hits free agency.

So, to sum up, the Cardinals should try to flip Romero, Stanek, and May while keeping Nootbaar for the playoff push. In this scenario, the Cardinals could add prospects and replace from within while staying competitive.