A Cardinals-Rangers swap to give St. Louis bullpen help, Texas outfield depth

The St. Louis Cardinals have put themselves in a position to be buyers at the trade deadline rather than sellers, having overcome a dreadful 15-24 start that evoked memories of the disaster that was the 2023 season. But now that they're back in the race, St. Louis needs to address their pitching staff. Some bullpen help would certainly benefit them going forward.

Perhaps they could look to the Texas Rangers for some help in that department, as the Rangers do have a few relievers that are on expiring contracts and could be of use to contending ballclubs. David Robertson is one name that could be available in the coming weeks as the deadline approaches and teams put the finishing touches on their rosters.

A Cardinals-Rangers trade to get David Robertson to St. Louis

The cracks are starting to show at the back end of the Cardinals bullpen. While Ryan Helsley has entrenched himself as an All-Star closer, JoJo Romero and Andrew Kittredge are both starting to struggle a little bit. This means St. Louis could use a little bit of help.

Robertson is a veteran presence and somebody who has closing experience. He's in the twilight of his career, but he is still getting the job done. The 39-year-old has appeared in 37 games this season, going 2-3 and posting an ERA of 3.03 in 38.2 innings of work. He could be an ideal candidate to set up Helsley late in ballgames.

Carlson would also be getting a fresh start with the Rangers and the chance to play more frequently. Right now, he's being crowded out by Michael Siani and Brendan Donovan, and the eventual return of Tommy Edman will only complicate matters for the former top prospect who once drew comparisons to Albert Pujols.

He could be used as a fourth outfielder in Texas and draw the occasional start. But it might just be time for a change of scenery for Carlson, as his time in St. Louis appears to be nearing its end. He never quite panned out for the Cardinals.

It will be interesting to see if the Cardinals look to the Rangers for a little bullpen help at the deadline this year.