Insider Suggests Cardinals Could Pursue Guardians Ace In Blockbuster Trade

Could the Cardinals make a surprise blockbuster trade?

Jun 27, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view a Cleveland Guardians hat and glove on the dugout railing before a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to be busy next week as the Winter Meetings get underway. They are set to potentially make some trades and send some veterans out the door.

They are rebuilding after three straight postseason misses, and Chaim Bloom is leading the rebuild. They’ll look to have a younger team and set themselves up for the future.

Still, they might target a few players in return, as they are looking to add young, cost-controlled pitching. John Denton of MLB.com proposed the idea of the Cardinals sending Brendan Donovan to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for right-hander Tanner Bibee.

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Could Cardinals Pull Off Blockbuster With Guardians?

Oct 1, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) in the dugout after being relieved from the mound in the fifth inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Bibee would cost a lot, even if the Cardinals are sending Donovan to Cleveland. And with the Guardians likely to contend, it might be hard for the Cardinals to convince Cleveland to part ways with him.

Still, Bibee has the makeup of what the Cardinals are looking for in trades. At 26 years old, he still has four years of club control remaining and won’t be a free agent until the 2030 season.

He could also be an anchor for the Cardinals rotation as they try to piece together a staff for 2026 and beyond, and he could potentially help them exceed expectations next year while they rebuild.

Bibee went 12-22 in 31 starts with a 4.24 ERA in 182 ⅓ innings pitched with the Guardians this year. But if the Cardinals want to land him, they’re probably going to have to up the ante on their potential offer to Cleveland. 

They may have to include some extra pieces along with Donovan, including players such as Lars Nootbaar, JoJo Romero, and possibly even Willson Contreras. The Guardians might also ask for JJ Wetherholt in that deal, and the Cardinals are certainly not going to trade him.

So, in the end, this idea from Denton might be a little bit far-fetched. If the Cardinals want a proven starter, they might have to look at some veterans that are free agents and add a pitcher that way.

They’ll have their hands full at the Winter Meetings, and it should be interesting to see what moves they might have up their sleeves as they continue their rebuild.

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