Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Could Capitalize On AL Contender's Desperation In Massive Trade

The Cardinals could look to steal a young outfielder from the Orioles.
Zach Pressnell|
Mar 31, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Heston Kjerstad (13) gestures to his teammates after driving in a run against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
Mar 31, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Heston Kjerstad (13) gestures to his teammates after driving in a run against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

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St. Louis CardinalsBaltimore Orioles

The St. Louis Cardinals have a few starting pitchers on their hands that they really don't need. The three that come to mind are Erick Fedde, Miles Mikolas, and Sonny Gray, but each for a different reason.

Mikolas is overpaid and not an above average starter. While it would be great for the Cardinals to trade him, it's unlikely anybody takes on his contract.

Fedde and Gray are two potential trade candidates that make a lot of sense for St. Louis to move. One, they would return a solid prospect haul for either guy, but it would also clear a spot in the rotation for a prospect like Tink Hence or Quinn Mathews.

Trading Fedde seems a bit more urgent because he's on an expiring deal, but getting off Gray's contract would be quite a boost to the team's future, too.

The perfect trade suitor sits in the American League, and they reek of desperation. The team I'm talking about is the Baltimore Orioles and they have the perfect young outfielder to headline a return: Heston Kjerstad.

Baltimore needed starting pitching coming into the season after losing Corbin Burnes to free agency, but it only managed to added Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano. Morton has gotten off to a horrendous start this season. Pair this with Grayson Rodriguez's injury and you have a very desperate contending team.

The Cardinals could likely land Kjerstad for Fedde in a one-for-one deal that works well for both teams. The Orioles would land a consistent starter while parting ways with a depth outfielder. The Cardinals would be dumping half a year of Fedde to bring in a solid outfielder.

While Kjerstad has questionable defense at times, he has the potential to be a huge bat. St. Louis could use another young outfielder to plug into the lineup for the next few years.

More MLB: Cardinals' $113 Million Star Linked To Blockbuster Trade With Braves

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Zach Pressnell
ZACH PRESSNELL

Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "St. Louis Cardinals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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