Latest rumor cements Dylan Carlson's days with the Cardinals are numbered

The St. Louis Cardinals find themselves in a tricky spot. They're a team expecting to compete for a postseason spot, but after splitting a series at home against the Colorado Rockies, they're now 31-33. Things aren't going as poorly as they did in 2023, but they're 6.5 games out of the division lead and one of several mediocre teams vying for a Wild Card spot.

Arguments can be made for the Cardinals being both buyers and sellers at this year's deadline. No matter which way they go when the time does come, Dylan Carlson, a player who has been listed in countless trade rumors over the years, feels like an obvious candidate to get dealt.

Carlson, a former top prospect and first-round pick, has failed to come close to meeting his lofty expectations and has had a miserable 2024 campaign. He was recently pegged as a player who might benefit from a change of scenery by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. It's not hard to see why.

Why Dylan Carlson is an obvious Cardinals trade candidate

"Carlson’s 2021 rookie season earned him a third-place finish in National League Rookie of the Year voting, but the 25-year-old has taken a step backward in each season since then. He was having a great spring before a collision with Jordan Walker resulted in a left shoulder sprain, one that set him back significantly. In his first 24 games this season, Carlson went 6-for-47 (.128) with no home runs or RBIs and a .368 OPS. He’s also posted -1 OAA, regressing on the defensive side as well."

Feinsand outlines pretty much everything here when it comes to Carlson's play. His career got off to a strong start when he was a National League Rookie of the Year finalist in 2021, but he has yet to be an average hitter in any season since. He had a chance to earn everyday reps with injuries that St. Louis had in the outfield, but Carlson suffered an injury of his own in Spring Training, sidelining him for the first month of the regular season.

His two calling cards in the past have been his defense and his ability to hit lefties. As Feinsand points out, his defense has taken a step back this season, and he is hitting just .182 with a .502 OPS against lefties. Nothing is going right for the 25-year-old.

"The Cardinals have a number of outfielders seemingly ahead of Carlson on the depth chart (Brendan Donovan, Michael Siani, Lars Nootbaar and Alec Burleson) and they’re hopeful that Walker will return to begin fulfilling his potential at some point. Carlson is earning $2.35 million this season and is under control for two more years, so perhaps a fresh start away from St. Louis would help him find his 2021 stroke."

Again, as Feinsand points out, the Cardinals have several outfielders ahead of him on the depth chart. Even Michael Siani, a player who doesn't hit much at all, has gotten most of the center field reps with Carlson healthy. Once Lars Nootbaar and Tommy Edman return from injuries, playing time will be extremely hard to come by for Carlson.

He's had parts of five seasons to prove himself in St. Louis and simply hasn't come close. He still has two years of club control, so perhaps a team in desperate need of an outfielder will be interested in acquiring him for cheap. At this point, a fresh start feels beneficial for both Carlson and the Cardinals organization.