This unthinkable Cardinals trade 'rumor' would get John Mozeliak fired on the spot

The St. Louis Cardinals trade deadline plans are far from clear, and president of baseball operations John Mozeliak hasn't tipped his hand just yet. A May run to get St. Louis back to .500 has Mozeliak and the Cards seriously contemplating buying assets, rather than ridding themselves of short-term contracts and star players.

In the crowded National League, St. Louis is still in the discussion for a Wild Card spot. Assuming they can remain in the hunt, there's little to no chance a trade such as the one Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller suggested becomes reality. Miller thinks the Cardinals could consider trading away Sonny Gray.

"(Sonny) Gray is pitching every bit as well as he did last season and is presently a steal at a $10M salary in 2024," Miller wrote. "But that balloons to $25 million next year and $35 million in 2026, plus a $30 million club option (or $5M buyout) for 2027. The Cardinals might want to sell while they can."

The St. Louis Cardinals cannot afford to trade away Sonny Gray

Gray has been a constant atop the Cardinals rotation this season, posting a 7-3 record, 3.00 ERA and 1.053 WHIP. He's been the most valuable pitcher in the St. Louis rotation, something Mozeliak vowed to address last winter by signing Gray, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson.

Despite Miller's opinion on the subject, ESPN's Jeff Passan makes any Cardinals selling, especially a trade involving Gray, sound unlikely.

"If you squint, maybe you can see a pathway to the postseason for a St. Louis team that has clawed its way to the verge of .500. If the Cardinals remain in the race, chances are they won't unload players for a second consecutive season," Passan wrote.

If the bottom falls out on the Cardinals season between now and the trade deadline, they would be wise to consider trades for Paul Goldschmidt, Ryan Helsley, JoJo Romero and more, as they could get a hefty return. Gray, however, ought to be a part of the 2025 rotation and beyond.

Trading Gray after investing so much money on starting pitching could very well get Mozeliak fired at the end of the season, a fate he is trying to avoid at all cost.