The St. Louis Cardinals were big sellers at the trade deadline, but could they be big buyers this offseason for a particular pitcher?
The St. Louis Cardinals, sensing that the postseason was out of the question this year, decided to sell some of their players to build toward the future. They did a more than admirable job, as they got quite the return for players like Jack Flaherty, Jordan Montgomery, and Jordan Hicks. The goal is for the team to make a push for the 2024 season. Could they be big buyers this offseason?
Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer wrote about the eight MLB stars that are most likely to be traded this offseason, and Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert was ranked second. Rhymer mentions that there were reports that the Cardinals were trying to acquire Gilbert ahead of the trade deadline.
"The Mariners may not want to trade him for that precise reason, not to mention the fact he's really good," writes Rymer. "But if this winter proves to be anything like this summer, the interest will be out there. The Cardinals were reportedly interested in Gilbert, and so were the Rays."
MLB Rumors: Could Cardinals trade for Mariners SP Logan Gilbert this offseason?
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on July 14 that Gilbert "is of interest to the Cardinals," but stresses that "it's unclear what the Mariners would command in exchange."
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal mentioned in a column (subscription required) ahead of the trade deadline that the Cardinals and Mariners match up in terms of St. Louis' need for a young starting pitcher. But, Rosenthal notes that to get Gilbert, a trade package would have to start with promising young outfielder Lars Nootbaar.
Gilbert is under team control until the conclusion of the 2027 season, so it's understandable why the Mariners may be hesitant to move on from him unless they are blown away by a gigantic offer.
Through 22 starts this season, Gilbert recorded a 3.86 ERA, a 1.071 WHIP, a 9-5 win-loss record, 126 strikeouts, and 24 walks over 130.2 innings.
If the Cardinals are looking to contend in the near future, making a move for a pitcher like Gilbert would certainly help. The thing is, would they be able to meet Seattle's asking price? We'll get an answer this offseason, if they pursue Gilbert, of course.
