Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals, Dodgers Complete Trade Sending Top Pitching Prospect To LA

St. Louis is moving on from the 26-year-old hurler
Nate Hagerty|
Aug 16, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of Los Angeles Dodgers hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Aug 16, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of Los Angeles Dodgers hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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St. Louis CardinalsLos Angeles Dodgers

The St. Louis Cardinals completed a trade with the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday after recently making several roster adjustments.

On Monday, the Cardinals promoted former Cincinnati Reds top prospect Jose Barrero to the big leagues but surprisingly optioned hot-hitting infielder Thomas Saggese to Triple-A Memphis.

St. Louis also designated a promising young hurler for assignment to make room for Barrero before trading the pitching prospect to the Dodgers in exchange for cash.

"Ryan Loutos has been traded to the Dodgers for cash," St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold first reported Thursday afternoon as the Cardinals lost 9-1 in their series finale against the Cincinnati Reds.

Loutos posted a 9-14 record with a 4.82 ERA, 247-to-97 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .288 batting average against and a 1.60 WHIP throughout his five-year career pitching in the Cardinals' farm system.

The 26-year-old debuted with St. Louis last season but logged just 2 1/3 innings pitched across three appearances out of the Cardinals' bullpen.

Considering that Loutos excelled throughout a full season with Triple-A Memphis in 2024 -- posting a 3-1 record with a 3.40 ERA, 59-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .259 batting average against and a 1.43 WHIP in 53 innings pitched -- and was logging similar stats with the same Cardinals affiliate this year, it's challenging to understand why he was traded.

With St. Louis investing in its youth and focusing on boosting the player development system, trading Loutos for cash seems like a counterproductive move.

The Washington University alumnus was making encouraging progress in the Cardinals' farm system, so it doesn't yet make much sense why Loutos was traded.

More MLB: Cardinals $75 Million Hurler Mentioned In AL West Trade Scenario

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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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