Trade rumors are swirling as fans prepare for the chaos that is the MLB trade deadline. Contenders are looking to add new talent to complete their rosters as they gear towards an October run. The majority of the league is middling with no clear answer on what direction they will take. Given the postseason has now expanded, teams are less encouraged to be aggressive in building a playoff-caliber team. Even with the half-in/half-out approach, every team is looking to improve. The St. Louis Cardinals will most certainly be one of those teams.
The Cardinals have made it public on what they are looking for with improvements. They need an established fifth starter, assurance in the bullpen, and a player who can play centerfield but one who is right-hand hitting to balance a lineup full of left-handed bats. The farm system is currently depleted and the organization is working towards building it back up to its once prominent status. So it looks like the best option for improving the roster is by getting rid of existing players on the Major League roster. So what players should be considered as trade bait? Here are three players that you should expect to be moved before the 2024 trade deadline.
1. Dylan Carlson
After being given chance after chance after chance, the window for the once highly touted prospect is finally closing. Carlson cannot figure out how to approach right-handed pitching and he is not providing any value facing left-handed pitching either. He is slashing .167/.529/.208 (.468 OPS, 37 OPS+) versus right handed pitching and is slashing .182/.290/.212 (.502 OPS, 46 OPS+) versus left handed pitching. This would be an easy demotion or DFA candidate for most teams, but most teams cannot stomach the decision to do either with a once-top prospect in baseball who was supposed to be a big part of the team’s future.
The Cardinals have no choice but to use Carlson in a trade package to salvage whatever value remains with him.
