A Cardinals-Angels trade to make St. Louis’ bullpen even more dangerous

This St. Louis Cardinals team was built on its offense and getting length from starting pitching. It's safe to say that over three months into the season, things haven't gone exactly as planned, as the bullpen has stolen the show in St. Louis.

Their offense has been up and down, their rotation outside of Sonny Gray has been inconsistent, but their bullpen, particularly late in games, has been lights out.

While the Cardinals should make trades to address their weaknesses, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com links St. Louis to one of the best relievers available, Carlos Estevez of the Los Angeles Angels.

Sure, the Cards don't need Estevez, but if they add him, their bullpen would have a case to be in discussions for the best bullpen in the majors. If the Cardinals were to make a deal for Estevez, here's what it might look like.

A Cardinals-Angels trade to send Carlos Estevez to St. Louis

The Angels are having a rough year but their closer has been dominant when given the chance. He got off to a bit of a slow start which is why he has a 3.00 ERA overall, but he allowed just two hits in ten innings of work in the month of June, on his way to winning the AL Reliever of the Month Award. He has a 1.47 ERA since May 1. Adding him would make this bullpen scary.

One issue that this bullpen has had is that its high-end options -- Andrew Kittredge, JoJo Romero, and Ryan Helsley -- have been used a ton. Adding another high-leverage arm in Estevez could help keep everyone fresher, which would benefit the team greatly down the stretch.

In addition to Estevez, the Cardinals would be acquiring Kevin Pillar, a right-handed hitting outfielder who can play all three outfield positions. He's slowed down a bit lately after his raging hot start with the Angels, but still has an .852 OPS overall and a 1.083 OPS against left-handed pitching.

Acquiring both Estevez and Pillar won't come cheap, though, as in this deal, the Cardinals would send two of their top 30 prospects, Michael McGreevy and Andre Granillo, to Anaheim. McGreevy could wind up being a solid fourth or fifth starter for the Angels in the not-too-distant future, while Granillo has been dominant in the upper minors this season and could play an important role in a weak Angels bullpen.

Additionally, the Cardinals would part with Dylan Carlson who would lose his role if they landed Pillar. Carlson was once a highly touted prospect and comes with years of control that the Angels might value. It hasn't worked out in St. Louis, but perhaps with more playing time and lower expectations, Carlson can thrive away from the spotlight with the Halos.

It's safe to assume that both Estevez and Pillar will be dealt in the coming weeks as the Angels sell off their expiring contracts (at the very least) at this year's trade deadline. The Cardinals might prefer to add pieces with more club control, but prioritizing a package like this allows them to get better in the short term while still holding onto their high-end prospects.

The most valuable piece St. Louis would be giving up is McGreevy who, while solid, doesn't have the highest ceiling and is overshadowed by several other exciting arms in their system. This feels like a win-win for a Cardinals team pushing for the playoffs, and for an Angels team that has to sell.