MLB Rumors: Cardinals best trades, Braves-Red Sox trade, Dodgers target

MLB Rumors: Cardinals best trades could be packaging pitchers, position players

Everything is about to change for the St. Louis Cardinals.

On Wednesday after the All-Star Game, President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak said that the team’s focus at the forthcoming trade deadline would be to build the roster for the 2024 season and beyond. Essentially, he was admitting the obvious that fans have been aware of for some time now: This season is toast.

The Cardinals figure to be active at the trade deadline with the expiring contracts of starting pitchers Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty in addition to reliever Jordan Hicks. Moreover, they could also potentially aim to move one or a few outfielders such as Dylan Carlson, Tyler O’Neill or others with their organizational depth at the position, especially with some of those guys having years of club control remaining, which could up the trade price for them.

But there is a better option — a best option — for the Cardinals to best build for the 2024 season and the future. No, it isn’t trading Nolan Arenado or Paul Goldschmidt (though that would definitely help the future with the hauls they could get in return), but it’s instead potentially packaging one of their arms with a position player prospect in order to maximize what the team gets back in any trade.

If a contender is in need of an outfield bat and starting pitching help, it’s only sensible that the Cardinals would be able to get much more back trading Montgomery or Flaherty with a controllable young player like Carlson as a duo than if they were just trading a rental pitcher, even if those are going to be in high demand at the deadline.

Mozeliak didn’t mince words about his objective at the trade deadline. The best way to reach that goal, however, might be to think a bit outside the box and look at bigger package deals that St. Louis could potentially make.