A trade the Cardinals can make for pitching after passing on Carlos Rodon

The St. Louis Cardinals are reportedly not in on free agent pitcher Carlos Rodon. But, they can make a trade for a new starter.

There has been plenty of movement in the starting pitching market this offseason. Jacob deGrom and Justin Verlander joined new teams in the Texas Rangers and New York Mets, respectively. Taijuan Walker and Jameson Taillon received big four-year contracts with the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs. There is one big name remaining in Carlos Rodon, the former San Francisco Giant.

The St. Louis Cardinals need some starting pitching, considering Steven Matz is the only arm that’s under contract past the 2023 season. Carlos Rodon is the best starter available in free agency, but Cardinals fans may want to pump the brakes on a potential signing.

According to The Athletic’s Katie Woo, a Rodon signing is “unlikely” due to the amount of money and years he’s seeking in a deal.

A trade the Cardinals can make with a Carlos Rodon signing reportedly ‘unlikely’

Rodon is seeking a seven-year contract with an annual salary around $30 million, so that would make some interested teams wary.

While the remaining free-agent starting pitchers are far from enticing, the Cardinals could look towards the trade market. One name that does stand out is Miami Marlins pitcher Pablo Lopez, who was actually a potential trade target at this past season’s deadline. Lopez put up solid numbers the past three seasons. Add that to him being under contract through the 2024 season, and the Marlins are likely to ask for quite a haul for him.

If the Cardinals are willing to make a push for Lopez, they’d have to give up some top young players. Here’s what a deal could potentially look like.

We get it, Cardinals fans, you may not want to surrender that much for Lopez, but that’s probably what it’s going to take. With the starting pitching market drying up in free agency, the Marlins have an asset that they can surrender to gain significant pieces.

The Marlins were reportedly close to dealing Lopez to the New York Yankees last trade deadline, and MLB Network insider Jon Heyman mentioned that infielder Gleyber Torres was involved in the deal. Not just that, but Heyman reported back in September that Miami was asking for Oswald Peraza, the team’s No. 3 prospect, but that was a no-go for the Yankees.

So, in this deal, St. Louis would have to surrender a young, MLB-ready infielder in Gorman and a top prospect in Matthew Liberatore (fourth-ranked in farm system). Finally, throw in right-handed pitcher and No. 17-ranked prospect Austin Love to get a deal done.

If Cardinals fans want the team to get Lopez, they’d have to be prepared for them to give up some top young stars in the process.