Cardinals Mock Trade: Phillies Land Star From St. Louis After Johan Rojas News

The Cardinals could be in the perfect position to capitalize on the Phillies desperation...

May 25, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detailed view of a Philadelphia Phillies hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are in complete rebuild mode right now. They've swung four big trades this offseason to cut ties with players like Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, and Sonny Gray. All four were dealt to contenders in exchange for prospects to take the team toward a brighter future.

As a result, the Cardinals have a lot more talent in their farm system than they have in the last decade. The future looks very bright in St. Louis, but there are still some moves to be made. There are still some players to be traded, potentially including outfielder Lars Nootbaar.

The Philadelphia Phillies could be look to make a move for Nootbaar after they were dealt the crushing news that outfielder Johan Rojas would be suspended half the year after failing a drug test.

Here's a mock trade that would send Nootbaar to the Phillies:

Nootbaar is still recovering from double heel surgery over the offseason, but he's very talented when on the field. This is the kind of move the Phillies could eye shortly before or shortly after opening day.

Why this works for the Phillies

Sep 19, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (2) dives and tags out St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Phillies have needed outfield depth for a few years, but they haven't been able to find the talent they need. This offseason, they had top outfield prospect Justin Crawford coming up to take some reps as well as free agent addition Adolis Garcia to help bolster the roster.

But with Rojas out for half the year and the postseason, the Phillies need to add another option in their outfield. Nootbaar is the perfect choice because they have the depth to be fine while he recovers from surgery, but having him on the roster as a platoon option when he returns would be huge.

Why this works for the Cardinals

Jun 18, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Freedom High School outfielder Griffin Burkholder during the MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Nootbaar has been a trade piece for about a year, but the Cardinals haven't been able to move him. Trading him now makes the most sense because his value can't drop anymore. If he returns from his double heel surgery and struggles quite a bit, his value will tank and the Cardinals will be left without any value in return. Trading him now for a pair of solid prospects would eliminate that potential nightmare scenario. To make matters better, Griffin Burkholder and Cody Bowker would be excellent additions to the farm system.