MLB Rumors: 3 Cardinals backup plans if they miss out on Tyler Glasnow trade
By Curt Bishop
2. Swap Dylan Carlson for Alek Manoah
Back in November, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays could potentially be a match for a trade. At the time, St. Louis had yet to acquire Lynn, Gibson, and Sonny Gray.
However, the Blue Jays do have a high-upside arm that could be a buy-low candidate this winter. After finishing third in the Cy Young race in 2022, Alek Manoah endured a dreadful 2023 season, going 3-9 with a 5.87 ERA. He struggled so badly in fact that he was limited to just 19 big-league starts and was even demoted to the Florida Complex League.
But when he's right, he can be a weapon in a starting rotation. He possesses swing-and-miss capability and could potentially slot into the No. 2 spot in St. Louis' rotation if acquired.
Goold also noted that the Blue Jays had previously expressed interest in Dylan Carlson, meaning that a simple swap may be in order for Toronto and St. Louis. Toronto would still have Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, and Chris Bassitt in its rotation, and the Cardinals would be able to alleviate the logjam in their outfield by giving Carlson a fresh start.