These 4 Cardinals Could Be Out of St. Louis By 2026 Trade Deadline

The St. Louis Cardinals have a lot of decisions to make this summer.

Apr 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman (16) looks on from the dugout against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

As we inch closer and closer to the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline, we certainly should see moves from the St. Louis Cardinals.

St. Louis has played well enough to believe that the idea of adding a piece or two isn't the craziest idea in the world. The Cardinals would be in the playoffs if the season were to end today and they have shown no signs of slowing down. This young Cardinals team is for real and should be able to maintain this momentum.

When the Aug. 3 trade deadline gets here, the Cardinals will have plenty of options ahead of them. They could look to add around the edges. They could look to make a splash, although that is far more unlikely. We also could very well end up seeing a few pieces of the Cardinals organization get traded away, despite the success of the club so far.

With that being said, here are four guys to watch who could be gone by the trade deadline.

Nolan Gorman — Third Base

Jun 2, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman (16) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a solo home run against the Texas Rangers during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Gorman was a runway guy last year for the team, but has been demoted down to Triple-A. The Cardinals are rolling with Blaze Jordan at the hot corner and the struggling Gorman is down in Triple-A trying to figure things out offensively. At this point, it's hard to imagine Gorman going back and being a consistent member of the Cardinals' starting lineup any time soon. At this point, it wouldn't be a bad thing to see if another club out there wants to roll the dice on the slugger.

Victor Scott II — Center Fielder

Jun 7, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II (11) lays down a bunt against the Cincinnati Reds during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Scott is in a similar situation to Gorman. He's down in Triple-A trying to figure things out offensively. At least he is elite defensively. If the Cardinals don't think he can be a consistent member of the organization, it wouldn't hurt to look around.

JoJo Romero — Reliever

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jojo Romero (59) pitches during the eighth inning of the game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday May 27, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The lefty has been a great member of the Cardinals' organization, but he's going to be a free agent after the season. If the Cardinals want to try to add a piece or two, Romero could be an easy trade chip.

Ryne Stanek — Reliever

Jun 3, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryne Stanek (55) celebrates with catcher Ivan Herrera (48) after the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Stanek has a 5.22 ERA in 32 appearances. The ERA number isn't great, but he has been able to get into a lot of game for St. Louis. He's a veteran of 10 seasons and is another guy to try to flip.