Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Reunion? All-Star Slugger Linked To St. Louis

Should the Cardinals reunite?
Patrick McAvoy|
wMar 1, 2025; North Port, Florida, USA; A detail view of Atlanta Braves hat, sunglasses and glove in the dugout during the fifth inning at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
wMar 1, 2025; North Port, Florida, USA; A detail view of Atlanta Braves hat, sunglasses and glove in the dugout during the fifth inning at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

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St. Louis CardinalsAtlanta Braves

The St. Louis Cardinals could use a little more firepower and unsurprisingly there’s been a lot of speculation about who could fit with the team ahead of the trade deadline.

Scott Plaza of FanSided suggested 11 players as potential fits ahead of the July 31st trade deadline. One that stood out was former Cardinals slugger Marcell Ozuna.

"Who doesn't love a good reunion, right? The Braves' season is a shock around the baseball world, as they looked to be near the top of the NL East coming into the year," Plaza said. "However, Atlanta sits 11 games under .500 and 9.5 games out of the Wild Card. The talented Braves roster has some intriguing names on an expensive roster that is likely going to miss the postseason.

"Ozuna is still a dangerous hitter who is in the last year of his contract and cannot be issued a qualifying offer, which could create even more interest around the league. The DH-only option has had a down season by his standard, with 11 homers and a 111 WRC+ over 85 games. He is taking walks at the highest rate of his career while also hitting lefties for an .827 OPS. Acquiring Ozuna would bring up tough memories, as this would be his second turn with the organization. The Cardinals traded for Ozuna's services but had to part with Sandy Alcantara and Zac Gallen to make the deal."

Now this is a good idea. Ozuna has played 88 games this season and is slashing .236/.363/.385 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs. The slash line may not be high, but this is the type of move that has the chance to significantly bolster the Cardinals' offense. Maybe his struggles this season could lead to a lower price tag as well. Why not?

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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