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Lately, the St. Louis Cardinals have become one of the most talked-about teams in the league as the MLB trade deadline draws near. Significant trade discussions will begin shortly after the MLB Draft and All-Star break, according to Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak.
“The way the calendar is set up with the draft, there's this sort of awkward [break],” Mozeliak explained, via Sporting News. “But, right after the draft, there will start to be a much more feverish pitch.”
The draft, scheduled for July 13–14, is the key marker that will shift the baseball world’s focus back toward trade activity. Although preliminary conversations may already be occurring behind the scenes, front offices remain largely focused on the amateur draft, meaning meaningful trade talks will resume in earnest once the draft concludes. The All-Star break, which coincides with the draft, adds to this temporary lull.
The Cardinals themselves are expected to be one of the most active and influential teams at this year's deadline.
In a report from The Athletic, an anonymous MLB executive pointed out the team's importance, saying, “The Cardinals can be a linchpin for a lot of teams. They have a lot of players teams are interested in.”
Indeed, the list of potentially available players is long. St. Louis could entertain offers for established names such as Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, Miles Mikolas, Erick Fedde, Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton, Steven Matz, and even young slugger Jordan Walker. Outfielder Lars Nootbaar is another name who could be moved for the right return. The Cardinals' willingness to engage in deals involving such players would give buyers a wide range of options and significantly change the trade market.
Adding to the intrigue, the Cardinals currently sit just one game out of the NL Wild Card race. Their positioning gives them the flexibility to approach the deadline from multiple angles. If they continue to contend, they may choose to become buyers. If not, they could pivot toward selling and offloading veteran contracts.
