The St. Louis Cardinals got the ball rolling on deadline deals when they acquired starting pitcher Justin Masterson from the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday afternoon.
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The question that emerged at that point is as follows: was this the only move that the Cardinals intended to make with the deadline approaching, or was this the first in a series of moves?
St. Louis still has the prospects to make a big splashy move, after all, able to make a push for Jon Lester or David Price if they so desire. The team has even been rumored to consider a borderline godfather deal for Price.
Even with that being the case, it sounds like the Cardinals might be content to take Masterson and build the rest of their roster from internal options.
#STLCards remain open to making another #TradeDeadline deal, but in talking with GM John Mozeliak, one didn't sound likely.
— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) July 31, 2014
Among the top considerations for the Cardinals would be their willingness, or lack thereof, to part with top prospects such as outfielder Oscar Taveras or pitcher Shelby Miller. To make that kind of deal would be to go “all in,” to indulge the cliche. The Cardinals are ready to win this season, but they are also considering the long game enough to be reluctant to deal prospects.
These things can change quickly, of course, but for now it sounds like no Cardinals deal for either Lester, Price, or any other big name.
Be sure to stay tuned to FanSided’s MLB Rumors page to stay up to date with the latest action and rumblings from the baseball hot stove this trade season.