MLB Rumors: Grading potential trade fits for Braves, Cardinals, Red Sox

St. Louis Cardinals trade fit: Eduardo Rodriguez

After an abysmal start to the regular season, the St. Louis Cardinals finally appear to be turning the corner. But it’s abundantly clear that they still need starting pitching.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has a history of targeting pitching at the deadline, acquiring J.A. Happ and Jon Lester in 2021 and Jose Quintana in 2022. He is likely to once again look at starting pitching — and there should be an assortment of options available.

One that they are surely going to consider is Eduardo Rodriguez — he would fit the left-handed model that they have targeted in the past. Rodriguez, 30, has been dominant after a bizarre 2022 campaign, posting a 1.57 ERA and a 47/10 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Rodriguez would go a long way toward shoring up the top of the Cardinals’ rotation, but a fit could be unlikely. He’s in the second year of a five-year, $77 million contract and considering his controllability and dominance in 2023, he will not come cheap. At all. And Mozeliak has preferred to hold onto his top prospects in the past.

For that reason, I just don’t see it. But the Cardinals will add starting pitching in July — as long as they are in the postseason hunt.

Grading the fit: 5/10