Cardinals Roster Shake Up? St. Louis Trade Rumors Heating Up

The St. Louis Cardinals seemingly waved the white flag on the season at the trade deadline when they opted to cut ties with a trio of expiring relievers. Ryan Helsley was traded to the New York Mets in a big move for the Cardinals. Steven Matz and Phil Maton were also traded to the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers, respectively.

The Cardinals will likely look to make a few more big moves in the offseason, especially as they transition from John Mozeliak to Chaim Bloom as the team's president of baseball operations. Bloom might opt to be a bit more aggressive on the trade market to acquire more young talent in the coming months.

Miranda Remaklus of Redbird Rants recently urged the Cardinals to cut ties with "youngster" Lars Nootbaar in the offseason as a way to push the team toward success in the future.

Lars Nootbaar trade could come together in the next few months

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaa — Aug 13, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) hits a single against the Colorado Rockies during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

"While Mozeliak may have wanted to hold off on moving some of the glut and redundancies from the roster, it's clear there are some youngsters it's time to move on from to improve," Remaklus wrote. "The team needs veteran leadership in the pitching and hitting departments.

"Lars Nootbaar, for example, is a fan favorite, but he isn't consistently productive when he is actually healthy. Brendan Donovan, the Cardinals' only All-Star in 2025, is a talented player. If the Cardinals decide to refrain from signing him to a long-term deal, why not trade him for talent to help now? Alec Burleson seems to have earned a spot as a favorite of Marmol. He can play multiple positions and can be good when he's hitting consistently."

Cutting ties with Nootbaar would make a lot of sense for the Cardinals for a few reasons. He's seemingly reached his offensive peak, as it doesn't seem like he's ever going to progress into a .800 or .900 OPS hitter.

Brendan Donovan is also seemingly slated to move to the outfield when top prospect JJ Wetherholt debuts in the big leagues. Wetherholt is expected to be the Cardinals' franchise second baseman, which will move Donovan to the outfield.

Considering Nootbaar is one of the Cardinals' many underwhelming outfield options, he could be on his way out. It wouldn't make sense for the team to continue stockpiling mediocre outfielders. They would be better off trading him for a few prospects in the offseason.

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