Cardinals could benefit from surprise trade candidate in potential fire sale

The St. Louis Cardinals have been quite disappointing to start this year. They're stuck down in the basement of the NL Central with the Cincinnati Reds, who have struggled just as badly. Cincinnati, unlike the Cardinals, is built around a young, improving core.

St. Louis doesn't have the same luxury of youth that is seen in Cincinnati. This has led many to speculate that the Cardinals could blow up their MLB roster over the next few weeks if they can't improve their standing in the NL Central, especially in the wake of finishing last season 20 games below .500.

Names like Ryan Helsley, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado have been thrown around trade rumors already at this point in the season. But with the aging state of the Cardinals, there's no reason to keep around other expiring veterans if they don't plan on attempting to contend in the next season or two.

That leaves the Cardinals in an odd spot with pitcher Kyle Gibson. Gibson has been consistently solid for the length of his 12-year major league career, but he's not ace potential. Additionally, he just signed with St. Louis this past offseason, leaving it less likely that they would deal him.

Kyle Gibson is a surprising name that could be dealt if Cardinals enter a fire sale

But he's 36. St. Louis won't contend this year or next. Gibson signed just a one-year deal this winter with a club option for the 2025 season. So it would make perfect sense for the Cardinals to listen to offers for him. His value isn't going to be out of this world, but it's going to be higher now than it would be next season.

That's why NY Post MLB insider Jon Heyman noted that Gibson could be an interesting name to watch for the Cardinals at the forthcoming trade deadline during his weekly appearance for Bleacher Report.

St. Louis could absolutely look to enter a full-scale, Orioles-esque rebuild, where they completely clean house, move their biggest names and build one of the better farm systems in the league. To do that, they need to be committed to the idea and trading Gibson, among others, would show their full commitment.

The Orioles and Reds, among others, have shown a willingness to enter this kind of rebuild. St. Louis very well could be the next team to do it and it may start in the coming weeks.