Inside The Cardinals

Pair Of Cardinals Fan Favorites 'Could Be Moved' In Possible Trade Deadline Fire Sale

St. Louis might look to shed payroll this summer
Nate Hagerty|
Apr 16, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals scoreboard as a plane passes by during the seventh inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Apr 16, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals scoreboard as a plane passes by during the seventh inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are months away from the trade deadline but after an unexpectedly quiet offseason, experts are already predicting the club's summer.

Despite declaring an organizational reset last fall and planning to reduce payroll through the trade market significantly, the Cardinals' front office failed to move anyone this offseason.

Depending on how St. Louis performs throughout the first half of 2025, it's possible a pair of fan favorites could be dealt at this summer's trade deadline.

"How many Cardinals who take the field Thursday will still be on the team in August?" ESPN wrote Thursday morning. "It's kind of a surprise that one of them -- third baseman Nolan Arenado -- is even on their Opening Day roster. Rumored to be traded all winter, it never happened -- in part because of a no-trade clause. There are several Cardinals who have them, including Opening Day starter (Sonny) Gray. He could be moved come July, if he waives it, as could closer Ryan Helsley, who is one of the few veterans that doesn't have a no-trade clause."

Gray and Helsley are the Cardinals' top two pitchers. Trading either of them this summer would be painful but could tremendously aid St. Louis' rebuilding efforts.

Helsley is one of the league's most elite closing pitchers after earning 2024 Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year and could be dealt to a top contender at the trade deadline in exchange for a decent top prospect haul.

As for Gray, he is owed roughly $60 million before his contract expires after next season. With St. Louis relying on a reduced payroll to help fix their broken player development system, trading the three-time All-Star would be monumental.

However, Cardinals fans might protest a trade deadline fire sale during which Gray and Helsley are dealt if St. Louis is competitive this summer. After two consecutive seasons of missing the playoffs by a long shot, the best fans in baseball deserve better than to witness their beloved team tear down its roster at the wrong time.

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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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