Trade or keep: What Cardinals should do with 7 top trade chips at deadline

The St. Louis Cardinals have played much better baseball in recent weeks, coming to within two games of .500 after falling to nine below in mid-May. However, it is still unclear as to what the Cardinals will do at the trade deadline. Will they buy, sell, or both?

Even with the team playing better, they don't look too much like a playoff contender, and there could be some big pieces shipped out at the deadline if they remain stuck in the middle, or worse.

Here is what the Cardinals should do with their top five trade candidates at the deadline.

7. Andrew Kittredge, RP

Andrew Kittredge has been every bit as good as advertised for the Cardinals. St. Louis acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for outfielder Richie Palacios. This deal so far appears to be a win for both sides.

While Palacios has provided a spark in the Rays' lineup, Kittredge has helped solidify the back end of the Cardinals' bullpen. The 34-year-old owns a 2.86 ERA in 24 appearances this season.

Ultimately, everything depends on if the Cardinals can keep winning or remain mired in mediocrity. But if they stay right around .500, Kittredge should ultimately be shipped out. He is on an expiring contract, and his success this season could help the Cards get some young prospects in return to help them prepare for the future.

This would be very similar to what St. Louis did last year at the deadline, dealing players on expiring contracts. They dealt away Jordan Hicks, Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty, Paul DeJong, and Chris Stratton last year.

What they need to do is add pitching depth for the future, and Kittredge could allow them to get some pieces that are close to major league-ready so they can compete in the near future.

Verdict: Trade

6. JoJo Romero, RP

Another back-end bullpen piece that has been quite good for the Cardinals this season is left-hander JoJo Romero. St. Louis acquired him at the deadline in 2022 from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Edmundo Sosa. This is yet another deal that has worked out well for both sides.

Unlike Kittredge, Romero is not a free agent until after 2026, so he could net the Cardinals an even bigger haul than what they could get for Kittredge.

The young left-hander has appeared in 26 games for the Redbirds this season. He owns a 2-0 record and an ERA of 1.30.

Years on control would make Romero an attractive trade piece, and if the Cardinals are still stuck in the middle, he is another piece that should be dangled in trade talks if they want a quick reset and hope to gain MLB-ready pieces in return.

Verdict: Trade

5. Kyle Gibson, SP

Gibson was signed to a one-year, $12 million contract this past offseason to help bolster the Cardinals' rotation. While he hasn't been dominant by any stretch of the imagination, he still has helped St. Louis out on the pitching side.

The 36-year-old right-hander is 3-2 with an ERA of 3.81 in his 10 starts. He does have a club option for 2025, but he is technically on an expiring contract, which would make him an attractive trade candidate.

With starting pitching always at a premium, especially with pitchers such as Shane Bieber injured, Gibson's stock may rise by the time the deadline comes around. Several teams are going to be after starting pitchers, and adding a veteran presence would be huge for a contending ballclub.

If the Cardinals can't stay hot and emerge as the contender they were expected to be, Gibson is another piece that should be traded.

Verdict: Trade

4. Lance Lynn, SP

Lance Lynn broke into the big leagues with the Cardinals in 2011 and helped them win their most recent World Series title. After a few years away, he's back in St. Louis and proving to be a steady presence in their rotation.

Like Gibson, he was signed to a one-year contract with a club option for 2025. But Lynn also brings some solid postseason experience, which could be of use to contending teams.

Lynn's situation is very similar to Gibson's. He is another piece the Cardinals should look to unload if they are indeed sellers at the deadline once again.

Verdict: Trade

3. Nolan Arenado, 3B

In a perfect world, Nolan Arenado would be an ideal trade candidate who could net a hefty return for St. Louis. He has three years of team control after this season and remains a cornerstone in the Cardinals' lineup.

There's just one problem, however. Arenado's power is nowhere to be found, and he looks completely lost at the plate, having gone 0-for-4 against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday. Because he still has three years left on his lucrative deal and isn't producing, he probably isn't going to get the Cardinals much in return.

If he is to be traded, it might have to be something as simple as a swap. Then again, there don't appear to be a lot of teams in need of a third baseman.

It is for this reason that the Cardinals should hold onto Arenado, at least for now. Unless he turns things around and produces the way he did in 2022 when he was an NL MVP finalist, his trade value will remain quite low. If the Cardinals do trade him, they should wait until at least the offseason.

Verdict: Keep

2. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B

Paul Goldschmidt is yet another player who is on an expiring contract. He got off to a miserable start but appears to have turned the corner for St. Louis. He has now homered in back-to-back games and hit two on Sunday against the Chicago Cubs.

If he stays hot, he'll boost his trade value. He likely won't land the Cardinals a massive haul given that he is a veteran player on an expiring deal. But that doesn't mean they'll get nothing for him.

A team like the Houston Astros could be in the mix for Goldschmidt given the struggles of Jose Abreu, and they have some solid prospects in their system that could benefit St. Louis in the near future.

Because of this, if he stays hot, the Cards should look to deal him.

Verdict: Trade

1. Ryan Helsley

Ryan Helsley is the Cardinals' biggest trade piece. They'll likely expect a haul for him if they do deal him at the deadline.

While he only has one more year of control beyond this season, he is having a career year as the Cards' closer. In 24 appearances, he has saved 17 games and posted a 2.25 ERA. He ran into a little trouble over the weekend against the Cubs but has still been one of baseball's top relievers.

If he keeps this up, the Cardinals should try to capitalize on his value at the deadline by trading him to a contending team that has the pieces to afford him.

Verdict: Trade