The St. Louis Cardinals are quietly in a great position under new general manager Chaim Bloom. The Cardinals are blessed with a flexible payroll and ownership that is, historically, willing to spend money when the on-field product is successful. St. Louis spent much of this past season flirting with a Wild Card push in the National League; while they faded down the stretch, the groundwork was laid for a rapid ascent.
Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson put together their best offensive campaigns to date. Masyn Winn and Rookie of the Year frontrunner J.J. Wetherholt should both win Gold Glove awards. Meanwhile, top prospects like Joshua Báez and Leo Barnal debuted to loud acclaim. The Cardinals boast a deep farm system and significant flexibility. The next step, if Bloom and the front office are so bold, is to cash in a few chips and try for a playoff spot in earnest in 2027.
Cardinals trade package for CJ Abrams
CJ Abrams' name was popular in trade rumors all season, but the Washington Nationals ultimately held strong. He now enters his penultimate year under contract, coming off of his best individual campaign at the MLB level. Abrams took a huge leap in 2026; he hit a career-high .261 with 33 home runs and 34 stolen bases, posting an .834 OPS and 124 wRC+.
Abrams is one of the best pure athletes in baseball and, at 26, there's reason to believe he's still growing. Unfortunately, his myriad physical tools have not translated to even competent defense at shortstop. The Nationals moved him to second base down the stretch, which Abrams was publicly unhappy about in the moment. Now may be the time for Washington to cash in before the relationship sours — or before Abrams' value collapses for any number of reasons.
The Cardinals should take an interest in Abrams' extraordinary talent. He'd probably move to either third base or second base, depending on where St. Louis wants to reposition Wetherholt. The Cardinals could also flirt with moving Abrams to the outfield, following in the footsteps of Oneil Cruz, Javy Báez and other toolsy shortstops-turned-center fielders. In return, Washington snags 22-year-old southpaw Liam Doyle, the Cards' top pitching prospect, and 21-year-old middle infielder Jesús Báez (MLB Pipeline's No. 15 Cardinals prospect), who put up a 1.033 OPS in 59 Double-A appearances this season.
Cardinals trade package for Mason Miller
The San Diego Padres learned their lesson about selling the farm for a single high-leverage reliever, as Mason Miller got knocked around in the playoffs despite looking unhittable in the regular season. There is so much volatility with even the best closers once October comes around and every inning carries the weight of past, present and future.
Anyhow, the Padres need to beef up their rotation and, somehow, find more bullets in the bullpen, especially with Adrian Morejón about to hit free agency. Miller was a phenomenal player this season, to be clear, one of the few true star-caliber relievers left with his 3.7 fWAR. Still, the Padres could look to flip Miller for depth. If San Diego can turn their 28-year-old closer into an everyday starter (Doyle), a future high-leverage reliever (Brandon Clarke) and a potential everyday outfielder down the road (Tai Peete), it bears consideration.
The days of fake-trading the best prospects in baseball to the Padres are probably done. Miller is not going to recoup the value San Diego gave up to acquire him. Liam Doyle is still a very good prospect (No. 63 on FanSided's Top 100), however, and he's tracking for a 2027 debut. The Padres need starters with Michael King, Casey Mize and Robbie Ray entering free agency. Brandon Clarke has dealt with injuries, but he can touch triple digits and really dazzle with stuff that could play up in a bullpen role sooner than later. For the Cardinals, they turn a surplus of pitching prospects into baseball's top closer and a long-awaited anchor point for a struggling bullpen.
Cardinals trade package for Ketel Marte
The Ketel Marte situation with Arizona Diamondbacks remains tenuous at best. Does he want to finish out his contract in the desert? That's a question you'd like to answer with more certainty as a fan (or a coach, or a member of the front office). Marte is still on one of the better value deals in MLB, due less than $20 million annually, on average, through 2030 (with a 2031 player option). Then again, he's 33 years old. He's coming off of his worst season in years and there is a ton of unwanted baggage.
This is therefore a very complicated proposition for the Cardinals. Not only would Marte need to waive his no-trade clause, but St. Louis would need to feel good about inviting Marte into their clubhouse. The Cardinals built a lot of positivity this season; the guys seemed to genuinely enjoy each other's company and each other's success. Such are the benefits of a young team with a lot of teammates who came up together in the Minors.
Does St. Louis really want to invite a 33-year-old malcontent into the fold — and give up two quality players to do so? Well, considering that Marte finished top-three in MVP voting just two years ago ... maybe. He's still one of the most consistent thumpers in baseball, producing well above average for his position. The Cardinals might want to bump him to the outfield or third base, but all the same, Marte's talent outweighs the downside on such a manageable contract.
Kyle Leahy was St. Louis' best starter in the regular season, but he probably projects more as a No. 3 or No. 4 type in Arizona, assuming the Diamondbacks want to contend next season. Leo Bernal can split catching duties with Gabriel Moreno and, more importantly, offer a solution to Arizona's problems at first base. The 22-year-old made his MLB debut this past season with an .807 OPS in 24 appearances for the Cardinals.
Cardinals trade package for Ronald Acuña Jr.
Ronald Acuña Jr. has two years left on his contract. He put up a .425 OPS in the Atlanta Braves' abbreviated postseason run, basically no-showing against L.A. in the NLDS. That feels even worse after the NLCS, in which the Dodgers were proven mortal. Acuña was productive overall this season, posting a .796 OPS and 120 wRC+, but he was a far cry from the five-tool superstar we saw win NL MVP in 2023.
There's some uncertainty around Acuña's future for the first time in a while. He's not going to get an extension at this rate; while he's beloved in Atlanta, Acuña is also a source of frustration. He jogs out soft grounders and misreads too many catchable balls in right field. The injury history is becoming ever more worrisome, too. The Braves might want to cash in now, rather than letting another injury tank their season and Acuña's value.
That means a trade like this carries substantial risk for the Cardinals. Then again, when he's healthy and locked in, Acuña can look like a top-five player in the sport. That's the kind of risk the Cardinals should eagerly take on.
Leahy provides stability to a Braves rotation that can't seem to stay healthy. Báez was explosive upon his MLB debut this season. He needs to cut down on strikeouts, but there's a real chance he can replace Acuña's thump in the heart of Atlanta's order. Tanner Franklin is a Double-A arm with an electric fastball-slider combo, tracking for an MLB debut in the next couple years.
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