Ranking the 5 best trade targets for the Cardinals to pursue at the deadline

The St. Louis Cardinals have bounced back nicely following their brutal start to the season and ended the first half with a 50-46 record. They're in sole possession of the second Wild Card spot in the NL and trail the Brewers by only 4.5 games in the NL Central. The postseason is within reach, and a division title could be too.

The Cardinals have shown John Mozeliak that they're a team worth investing in. They're not a perfect baseball team, but they don't have to be to squeak into the postseason, particularly in the National League.

Mozeliak should be able to identify several areas where this team can improve and with the right deals, they can really make some noise in October. With that in mind, Mozeliak should be trying to acquire these five players in particular.

5) Kevin Pillar would be an underrated acquisition for the Cardinals to make

The Cardinals' offense has come a long way since its unacceptable start to this season, but it still struggles in one major way. The Cardinals still can't hit left-handed pitching. Their 78 WRC+ against southpaws is good for 29th in the majors, only ahead of the 33-63 Marlins. That's right, the White Sox hit better against lefties than the Cardinals do.

Part of their struggles have to do with injuries to players who should hit lefties like Willson Contreras and Tommy Edman, but it also partially has to do with their outfielders not hitting against southpaws. Lars Nootbaar has an .810 OPS against righties, but a .505 OPS against lefties. Michael Siani's is at .621 against righties and .454 against lefties. Even Brendan Donovan's OPS against lefties is nearly 100 points lower than his mark against righties.

Dylan Carlson was supposed to be a factor against lefties but he has struggled mightily. Acquiring an outfielder who can hit against lefties and also chip in as a center fielder should be something that Mozeliak pursues, and Kevin Pillar fits that to a tee.

Is he a big name? Of course not, but the Cardinals don't exactly need an offensive star. Pillar has always done well against lefties in his career, though, and this season has been no exception with his 1.031 OPS against southpaws in 69 plate appearances. Carlson on the other hand has a .577 OPS against lefties in 72 plate appearances.

This kind of upgrade can help more than some might realize, even if it isn't a flashy one. The Los Angeles Angels will almost certainly be trading him, and the Cardinals should be the team that acquires him.

4) Zach Eflin would be an upgrade for the Cardinals' rotation

Compared to early-season expectations, the Cardinals rotation has fared better than most expected. Still, their 4.44 starting pitcher ERA ranks 21st in the majors at the All-Star break. Only two of the nine teams below them are in a postseason spot. That's going to need improvement.

Sonny Gray is the solidified ace, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson are fine mid-rotation arms, but this staff is really lacking a No. 2 starter. While Zach Eflin might profile more as a No. 3, he'd still be a nice fit on this Cardinals team.

Eflin hasn't been quite as good this season as he was in his first season with the Tampa Bay Rays, but he has a 3.99 ERA in 17 starts and 99.1 innings of work. He isn't a big strikeout pitcher, but he does a great job limiting walks, as evidenced by his league-leading 0.8 BB/9. His 3.66 FIP indicates that he has pitched into some bad luck too.

What makes Eflin even more appealing is that he has an extra year of club control at $18 million. It isn't cheap, but it is reasonable. The Rays being a .500 team doesn't exactly scream sell, but they have a ton of pitching depth and have already traded Aaron Civale. Eflin is likely available for the right price, and he'd be a good get.

3) Tanner Scott is too good of a reliever to ignore

A right-handed hitting outfielder and a starting pitcher are two glaring needs on this Cardinals team. The bullpen isn't as big of one, but all contending teams try and improve that area if they can. Assuming they do, the Cardinals should be contacting the Miami Marlins who roster one of, if not the best reliever available at this year's deadline, Tanner Scott.

Scott has followed up his breakout 2023 campaign with another impressive year, posting a 1.34 ERA in 39 appearances and 40.1 innings of work. He has converted 14 of his 16 save opportunities, and has held the opposition to a .134 average.

Yes, walks are a concern, but Scott does an incredible job limiting hard contact to the point where the walks rarely ever come back to bite him. Can you imagine how insane this bullpen would look with Ryan Helsley closing, Tanner Scott pitching the eighth inning, and guys like Andrew Kittredge and JoJo Romero getting the sixth and seventh? Even Oli Marmol can't mess that up, right?

Yes, he's an expiring contract. Yes, bullpen isn't the biggest need. Yes, he'd cost a lot. Still, the Cardinals should see if this can get done. Their bullpen can rival that of the Brewers if not surpass it with a deal like this.

2) Erick Fedde's contract makes him an especially appealing trade target

The dream Chicago White Sox trade candidate is obviously Garrett Crochet, but it's hard to imagine the Cardinals have the resources to get him without completely blowing up their farm system. Even if Crochet is out of their reach, that doesn't mean the Cardinals should ignore the White Sox. Erick Fedde would be a strong consolation prize.

Fedde has had a really strong year as Chicago's No. 2 starter, posting a 2.99 ERA in 17 appearances and 111.1 innings of work. Like Eflin, he doesn't have the best stuff in the world, but throws strikes and does a solid job limiting damage. He has given up just 11 home runs all season (0.8 HR/9).

What makes Fedde even more appealing is his contract situation. He has another year on his deal at just $7.5 million. The Cardinals gave Lance Lynn $11 million after he allowed 44 home runs last season. They gave Kyle Gibson $12 million after he gave up a league-leading 198 hits last season. That just shows how expensive starting pitching is, and having Fedde at just $7.5 million is a tremendous luxury.

Whether Fedde can continue pitch like the No. 2 starter he has in the first half of this season remains to be seen, but he'll certainly be a bargain financially at just $7.5 million even if he regresses a bit, and that can allow the Cardinals to be more aggressive with other moves.

1) It makes too much sense to explore a Jack Flaherty reunion

Here's the fun one. Jack Flaherty spent 6.5 seasons with the Cardinals before they traded him to the Orioles at last season's trade deadline. Wouldn't it be an interesting twist if they re-acquired him just one year later?

Since signing a one-year deal with the Detroit Tigers this past offseason, Flaherty has pitched like the star St. Louis always thought he'd be, posting a 3.13 ERA in 16 starts and 95 innings of work.

What sticks out about Flaherty in particular is the fact that he has fanned 119 batters in those 95 innings while walking just 16. His ability to not only throw strikes but strike people out at an elite clip gives him ace upside, which would fit nicely slotted right behind Gray.

Injury concerns with Flaherty are very real, as Cardinals fans know too well, and the fact that he's on a one-year deal makes him less appealing as well, but that also means the Cards wouldn't have to give as much up to get him. Flaherty has proven he can pitch well in a Cardinals uniform when healthy and has had an awesome season thus far. If they can get him for the right price, they absolutely should.