A Cardinals-White Sox trade that will get St. Louis to top of NL Central

Don't look now, but the biggest bat on the trade market is getting hot at the perfect time to raise his trade value.

The Chicago White Sox outfielder, Luis Robert Jr. was once imagined to be the most likely player traded at the trade deadline. But, thanks to his injuries, some offensive struggles and a huge trade price tag attached to him, the odds of him being moved have slowly gotten smaller and smaller.

The White Sox stated they didn't want to trade him while he was slumping because they wouldn't get his true value in return. But Robert has gotten hot as of late. He's hitting for power and average while being one of the more clutch bats in the league. He's truly finding his footing in 2024.

And the Cardinals could use his bat as well as the team control that locks him up for the next few seasons, especially considering how disastrous of a season their own outfield prospect, Jordan Walker, has had.

A Cardinals-White Sox trade to replace Jordan Walker with a bigger, higher potential bat

The St. Louis Cardinals need additional offensive help this season if they want to make the postseason. Their fans, coaching staff and clubhouse have all expressed their willingness to go out and win baseball games this year. Now, the front office will need to back the team by adding a huge impact bat at the deadline, no matter how expensive.

This is quite the haul for the White Sox superstar, but it simply makes sense. The White Sox are looking for young, high potential prospects to fill out their farm system and provide them with stability down the road. This haul does that and then some for Chicago. Well, it's been reported that the White Sox are looking for a return similar to what the Washington Nationals received from the San Diego Padres in 2022 for Juan Soto.

The Cardinals are looking to win now. They are desperate because their roster is loaded with older, veteran players. If they miss the window for these veterans, they find themselves in a bad spot. Adding a player with tons of team control, like Robert, provides them with that extra security of having their addition for the next few seasons rather than a rental.

Michael McGreevy and Tekoah Roby are two of the more likely Cardinals to be traded because they're expendable and valuable both at the same time. Hence and Walker, on the other hand, are two of the prospects that St. Louis is looking to hold onto, for good reason.

Both these two have been ranked in MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospects and they hold incredible potentials. Giving them up would be giving up potential everyday MLB players. But, remember, they would be acquiring an All-Star with world beating potential in himself.

Walker has struggled mightily in 2024, posting a .155/.239/.259 slash line in 20 games to start the year. He's since returned to Triple-A, where he has also struggled, posting an OPS below .700 this year in the minors.

Hence, on the other hand, has dominated the Double-A level this year, pitching to the tune of a 3.29 ERA in 12 starts. That's to be expected when you're the 42nd ranked prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline.

It's going to take a lot for the Cardinals or any team to get the White Sox to willingly trade Robert away. But it might take a trade package like this by the Cardinals for the White Sox to bite.