Cardinals rumors: John Mozeliak makes trade deadline targets crystal clear

The Cardinals are prepared to be sellers at the MLB trade deadline with one clear area they’re looking to improve above all else.

They certainly didn’t expect it to be this way this season, but the Cardinals are not in a position to win right now. So the focus has to turn to the future.

On Monday, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak made it very clear what direction St. Louis is looking as they become sellers at the deadline.

“Pitching, pitching, pitching,” Mozeliak told reporters, per Katie Woo of The Athletic.

Cardinals rumors: Pitching will be the focus at the MLB trade deadline.

The Cardinals signed former Angels reliever Ryan Tepera on Monday after designating Genesis Cabrera for assignment. Those are short term pitching moves to get the team through the rest of the season.

Bigger moves will have to come to shore up the rotation and bullpen as St. Louis sets their sight on winning in 2024, rather than 2023.

So we know the Ins will be mostly arms. What about the Outs?

You could read the tea leaves about at least one outfielder. Mozeliak and manager Oli Marmol were singing from the same hymn sheet in discussing the future for the likes of Tyler O’Neill, Jordan Walker and Lars Nootbaar. The odd man out was Dylan Carlson.

The Cardinals are in last place in the NL Central, 11.5 games out of first place. They may have dreamed of turning things around and making a push for the division, but that dream is dead.

“You have seen teams that that make changes and doing better. I feel like with where this club’s at right now, we just know it’s not working intact and so we do know we have to make some changes,” Mozeliak admitted, per John Denton of MLB.com.