Cardinals Rumors: Willson Contreras, Jack Flaherty, trade talk

Cardinals notebook: Could St. Louis be a seller at the MLB trade deadline?

It’s definitely a question that no one thought would be asked before the season began, but if the Cardinals aren’t in the playoff chase when the All-Star Game rolls around, could St. Louis be a seller?

In his latest column for The Athletic, former MLB general manager Jim Bowden writes that the Cardinals “will listen to offers” for an outfielder (which could include Tyler O’Neill, Dylan Carlson, Lars Nootbaar, Alec Burleson and Juan Yepez) in exchange for starting pitching. Bowden writes that Jordan Walker, who has been optioned to Triple-A after starting the season on the Cardinals roster, is untouchable, which shouldn’t be a surprise to Cardinals fans.

While it’s doubtful the Cardinals would actually trade pitching when they’re looking for pitching, Jordan Montgomery, who is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of this season, could bring a nice price back if the Cardinals are ready to move on from the 30-year-old southpaw. He has had a solid season so far (3.29 ERA/2.83 FIP/1.220 WHIP in 41.0 innings), so his value has likely not only gone up in the trade market, but also internally if the Cardinals choose to sign him past this season.

Which way the Cardinals go over the next few weeks could not only determine their fate for this season, but their roster for years to come.