Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals 'Biggest Need' Identified By Former MLB General Manager

What will the Cardinals do?
Patrick McAvoy|
Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Sep 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the hat and glove of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman (not pictured) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals lost on Tuesday night against the Toronto Blue Jays but still have a 36-31 record.

St. Louis is in second place in the National League Central behind just the Chicago Cubs. It hasn't necessarily been the Cardinals' week, but they have stayed above water despite going 4-6 over the last 10 games.

The Cardinals have the talent needed to make a run at a playoff spot this season, but the question around the team over the next few weeks will be how John Mozeliak will handle the trade deadline in his final season as president of baseball operations.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden shared a column highlighting potential deals for contenders. He spent time as the general manager of the Cincinnati Reds and Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals, so that makes what he has to say even more interesting.

He suggested that the Cardinals pretty much stay the course.

"St. Louis Cardinals," Bowden said. "Biggest need: 'We just have to play.' The Cardinals have been one of the biggest surprise teams in baseball and appear to be legitimate postseason contenders. And it’s interesting how they’ve been getting the job done — with solid consistency in the starting rotation and lineup, from top to bottom. Outside of second baseman Brendan Donovan, they don’t appear to have another All-Star on the team, and yet everyone seems to contribute just enough to win games.

"The Cardinals don’t have any glaring needs, nor do they appear to have the financial resources or top prospects they’d want to trade to make a splash at the deadline. So, if nothing changes between now and then and they stay in the race, don’t expect big moves from their front office. Instead, the Cardinals want their young major-league players to continue to develop, and could follow that path rather than look for reinforcements. For that reason, I did not list trade targets for them at this point."

More MLB: Brendan Donovan Injury Update: Cardinals Star Exits Vs. Blue Jays

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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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