A Cardinals-Blue Jays trade that pairs perfect veteran with Sonny Gray atop rotation

At the beginning of the year, the St. Louis Cardinals looked poised to disappoint. However, after a masterful comeback, the Cardinals are once again in the postseason picture. They currently hold the second Wild Card spot and are 5.5 games behind the Brewers for the lead in the NL Central.

But with Miles Mikolas struggling to put together quality outings on a consistent basis, the Cards could use another arm to take the pressure off. One potential solution would be calling the Toronto Blue Jays and inquiring about Kevin Gausman. Gausman has already been floated as a perfect fit for St. Louis. However, Gausman too is struggling.

Through 95 IP, Gausman owns a 4.74 ERA with 96 Ks. Definitely not his best year. But with three very good consecutive seasons behind him, one would think he isn’t washed up yet. Gausman stands as an excellent bounce-back candidate for the second half. Plus, with a struggling Blue Jays team and a struggling Gausman, this could be the perfect time to pounce.

A Cardinals-Blue Jays trade sending Kevin Gausman to St. Louis' rotation

If acquired, Gausman would be under the Cardinals’ control through 2026. But even if it gets them Gausman, the Cardinals would be hesitant to give up their top prospects for a pitcher who is having a bad year. So, who would the Cards deal?

Once a touted prospect, Jordan Walker hasn’t really lived up to the hype thus far. He went 9 for 58 in the majors and currently maintains a .244 average with four home runs through 217 ABs. While his numbers don’t inspire a whole lot of confidence, the 14 doubles and two triples he collected are quite encouraging.

Still, we shouldn’t dismiss his double-A campaign in 2022 when he hit 19 home runs with a .306 average. The potential is still there, perhaps with some more time in triple-A, his great bat-to-ball skills will return more consistently.

Dylan Carlson was another hot-shot prospect whose great performance in the minors hasn’t translated to success in the majors quite yet. Currently, Carlson owns a .206 average with no home runs through 102 ABs.

Since his best year in 2021, his productivity has significantly slowed. But perhaps this can be chalked up to a slew of injuries that began in that year. We might also find that a change of scenery and a touch of good health could benefit Carlson greatly. In any case, it appears his Cardinals days are numbered.

Lastly, there is relief pitcher Andre Granillo who is having a great season jumping from double-A to Triple-A. So far, through 32 IP, the No. 26 prospect in the Cardinals’ system maintains a fantastic 1.13 ERA, with 39 Ks. As someone who posted an ERA well above 4.00 the last two years, Granillo is truly a breakout player this year.  As it stands, a reliever like Granillo would certainly be a good selling point.

Given Gausman’s bad stretch this year, a package such as this should nab the Cards their desired pitcher.