Who Is The Cardinals' Biggest Trade Chip Leading Up To The Deadline?

The St. Louis Cardinals have surprised the league this season, but that doesn't mean the team is guaranteed to make a move at the trade deadline.

May 12, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; The St. Louis Cardinals wearing pink for Mothers Day during the national anthem before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Busch Stadium. The Rockies defeated the Cardinals 8-2. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's been a surprising season for the St. Louis Cardinals, who were not expected to be sitting just one game out of the playoffs heading into the second half of the season.

St. Louis appeared to be ready for a full-scale rebuild after selling off multiple star players this offseason, but has a 50-45 record despite boasting the youngest roster in baseball. The Cardinals have relied on developing young players this season, which has paid off extremely well.

Jordan Walker has had a breakout season, earning his first All-Star selection alongside Iván Herrera and Riley O'Brien. St. Louis also extended JJ Wetherholt, the 23-year-old second baseman who's the betting favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award, to an eight-year, $112.5 million contract extension.

Though the Cardinals are playing great this season, it remains to be seen whether the team will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. A couple of bad series to start the second half of the season could be all it takes to cause St. Louis to sell. With that in mind, who is the Cardinals' biggest trade chip they could cash in at the trade deadline? MLB.com's Will Leitch believes it's 28-year-old outfielder Lars Nootbaar.

Nootbaar could yield a great return for the Cardinals if traded

St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) scores a double in the eighth inning during a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, May 25, 2023, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"Nootbaar looks healthier than he has in years -- to the point that he can even play center field -- and he is still under team control for 2027," Leitch wrote on Wednesday. "His metrics have long pointed to better results than he has sometimes seen on the field, and there's reason to believe another team would want to unlock that."

Nootbaar's season has been defined by injury, as the veteran outfielder opened the season on the 60-day injured list, making his season debut on June 5. The 28-year-old is slashing .260/.355/.423 with three home runs and 12 runs batted in across 32 games played and has one more year of arbitration eligibility before he becomes a free agent.

Though O'Brien could also be a valuable trade chip if the Cardinals want to sell, Nootbaar is entering the final year of team control and could be a valuable rental for any contenders as an everyday bat that can improve lineup depth for teams. St. Louis has some decisions to make and not much time to make them, with the trade deadline less than three weeks away.

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