Inside The Cardinals

Yankees-Cardinals Predicted To Swing $75 Million Trade Deadline Blockbuster

St. Louis and New York could soon become trade partners
Nate Hagerty|
Aug 14, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Yankees hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Aug 14, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Yankees hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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St. Louis CardinalsNew York Yankees

The St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees have been linked on several occasions over the past few seasons regarding various transactions.

For instance, former Cardinals fan favorite Paul Goldschmidt landed a one-year $12.5 million deal with the Yankees last winter and some speculate that 10-time Gold Glove defender Nolan Arenado could be next to join Goldy in the Bronx.

However, there's another valuable St. Louis veteran whom the Yankees might target this summer as they look to bolster their roster before the July 31 trade deadline.

"As far as top prospects go, the Yankees don't have a ton to offer," Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller wrote Tuesday when listing his predictions for this summer's trade deadline. "But even though they're already on track to pay a hefty luxury tax bill, money should be no object for them and they could go get a pricy-for-multiple-years guy like Sandy Alcantara, Mitch Keller or—should the Cardinals continue to falter and embrace a fire sale—Sonny Gray."

Gray has posted a 9-3 record with a 3.51 ERA, 113-to-19 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .241 batting average against and a 1.09 WHIP in 105 innings pitched for the Cardinals this season.

The 35-year-old signed a backloaded three-year, $75 million contract with St. Louis before the 2024 season began and has proven the Cardinals wise in signing him -- solidifying himself as the club's definitive ace.

Considering that Gray has a full no-trade clause, which he invoked this past offseason, it seems unlikely the Cardinals would be able to move him to New York before July 31st.

The three-time All-Star prefers playing in St. Louis and with the Cardinals playoff hopes intact, it would be shocking to see Gray waive his no-trade clause to rejoin the Yankees, who he struggled with, posting an 11-9 record with a 4.90 ERA, 123-to-57 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .270 batting average against and a 1.50 WHIP in 130 1/3 innings pitched in 2018.

With Yankees ace Gerrit Cole sidelined due to injury for the remainder of 2025, Gray would make an ideal trade target for New York. However, the Cardinals are grinding for a playoff berth and would be foolish to move their top starting pitcher -- unless circumstances drastically change in the coming weeks.

More MLB: Yankees Trading Ex-Cardinals Slugger 'Could Be On The Table' For Deadline Plans

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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