Inside The Cardinals

Yankees Named 'Best Fits' For Cardinals Superstar By ESPN

Will the Cardinals and Yankees pull off a deal?
Patrick McAvoy|
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

If you had said before the season that the St. Louis Cardinals would be seven games above .500 right around the halfway point of the 2025 Major League Baseball season, you would've shocked some people.

But, that is the case. The Cardinals are 43-36 through 79 games. The Cardinals will officially reach the halfway point of the season this week against the Chicago Cubs. Right now, St. Louis is only 3 1/2 games behind its rival for the top spot in the National League Central standings. Things are trending in the right direction at the perfect time for the Cardinals.

Baseball ebbs and flows. Last week wasn't great for the Cardinals, but things have turned around. The Cardinals have won six of their last seven games now. This couldn't come at a better time because the 2025 Major League Baseball trade deadline is just about five weeks away. Right now, the Cardinals look like a team that should add. Things obviously could change, but that seems to be the case right now, at least.

It's going to be interesting to see how it all shakes out. With just a few weeks to go until the deadline, things are starting to heat up. ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel shared a column on Tuesday morning highlighting the top 50 trade candidates in baseball with their chances of being moved along with best fits.

Cardinals star Nolan Arenado came in at No. 21 with the chance of a trade being at 30 percent. Of the teams that were mentioned as best fits, the New York Yankees were one.

"No. 21. Nolan Arenado, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals," Passan and McDaniel said. "Chance of trade: 30 percent. Arenado is around a career best in strikeout rate, and he's still an above-average defender, but his power and patience are both trending down to around the worst of his career. He's still a solid starter but no longer a star, and the team taking him on a deal would still have to pay him like one. Potentially complicating any deal: a full no-trade clause. Best fits: New York Yankees, (Detroit Tigers), (Milwaukee Brewers), (Seattle Mariners)."

Passan and McDaniel aren't two people who are just going to throw something at the wall and see if it sticks. They are both prominent insiders so that's why this is interesting to see. The Yankees have been linked to Arenado plenty of times and although they noted a trade is unlikely -- at 30 percent -- it's going to be interesting to see if the Arenado trade rumors heat up again.

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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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