Cardinals: 3 trade deadline moves St. Louis is lucky they didn’t make

Jake Odorizzi’s local connection is appealing, but…

A graduate of Highland High School in Highland, Ill., near St. Louis, Jake Odorizzi would have had a nice return home story for the front page if the Cardinals had acquired him at the trade deadline.

The Houston Astros instead traded Odorizzi to the Atlanta Braves.

Odorizzi, however, is another pitching option the Cardinals would have found more grief than relief in. The Cardinals were desperate to find good, dependable pitching. Since joining the Braves, Odorizzi is 1-2 in four games started over 19.2 innings pitched. He has a 4.58 ERA and has given up 10 earned runs, including five home runs.

This would not have improved the Cardinals’ situation. It would have added more concerns as they already have pitchers performing like Odorizzi in spot starts while the team attempted to find a steady option as they waited for Jack Flaherty and/or Steven Matz’s return.

The Cardinals already have a pretty great returning home story in Albert Pujols. St. Louis needed pitching help, not another storyline.