Cardinals Rumors: No, Jordan Walker won't be traded
While the St. Louis Cardinals do have a surplus of outfielders, the likelihood of Jordan Walker, a former top prospect, being dealt is zero to none. Walker is seen as the future of the franchise, and though he needs to work on lowering his ground-ball rate some, he's still shown flashes this season in the big leagues.
John Mozeliak has discussed acquiring pitching in hopes the Cards can rebound in 2024. Any trade for said starting pitching will not come via Walker. Call To The Pen's Jared Wolfe hinted as a potential deal involving Walker and Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert. It's been reported that the Cards are interested in Gilbert, who is just 26 years old and an ace in the making for Seattle.
In a mock trade package, Wolfe dealt Walker and Nolan Gorman to Seattle for Gilbert and pitching prospect Emerson Hancock. In his argument, Wolfe made it clear that Walker could be the eventual odd man out in St. Louis, as he's struggled with his outfield defense and the DH spot is unlikely to be available in the interim.
"On the flip side for Walker, the St. Louis Cardinals, for how much they love him and his future potential, it begs the question of where does he fit in the field? If they are truly unwilling to give up Nolan Arenado or Paul Goldschmidt as Mozeliak said today, he will have to be a DH or continue in the outfield (where he has been miserable to watch). He just does not fit the roster construction with those two blocking possible infield positions, and especially with Willson Contreras seemingly placed in the DH role."
I, for one, would be surprised if such a trade went down. Walker is young and athletic enough to improve his outfield defense over time. And if not, St. Louis will find another position for him. Goldschmidt, for example, is only under contract through 2024. There's no long-term hold in the infield or DH spot that would keep the Cards developmental staff from finding a home for Walker.
Cardinals Rumors: Another trade chip off the injured list
It's unclear if the St. Louis Cardinals view Tyler O'Neill as a piece of their future, or a likely trade chip. Either way, he's back with the team and ready to contribute.
O'Neill is in the final year of his contract, making him a potential trade asset. St. Louis needs pitching, and O'Neill is a two-time Gold Glove winner. Just yesterday, I pitched a trade package that would send O'Neill to the Atlanta Braves for prospects Victor Vodnik and Luis De Avila. Both are pitchers and on the verge of being MLB-ready, with Vodnik likely ready to slide into an MLB rotation sooner rather than later.
However, FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray shot down that trade fit, namely because Atlanta wouldn't necessarily want to replace one injured outfielder (Eddie Rosario) with another in O'Neill. That's fair. He also noted that the Cards have floated the possibility of keeping the Canadian, if only as a leverage tactic:
"O'Neill, meanwhile, has been on the outside looking in with the Cardinals all season. While there are reports that suggest that the team wants him to be their every day left fielder once he comes off the Injured List, that could be a leverage tactic to get opposing teams to up their offers for the power-hitting slugger."
Were St. Louis to view O'Neill as a key part of their 2024 team, they could certainly afford him. Injuries and poor offensive numbers have brought down his financial value quite a bit.
Cardinals Rumors: Nolan Arenado shows off his value
Nolan Arenado should not be traded — don't you ever forget it.
John Mozeliak has made it clear time and time again that the front office views Arenado, along with several other players, as off limits in trade talks. That was backed up by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch last week.
On Tuesday night, Arenado reminded St. Louis baseball fans why he's untouchable. As a key member of the Cardinals core this year and beyond, he's here for the highs and the lows. Arenado gave Cards fans something rare to cheer about on Tuesday — a walk-off victory.
Arenado complimented the team's starting pitching postgame. While the team will likely sell off some assets at the trade deadline, Arenado's comments speak to the Cardinals long-term goals, and their priorities come 2024.
"If our starters keep us in the ballgame, we're going to find a way to score. … It's tough when it gets away from us. … We just keep battling, keep grinding it out. If our starters give us a chance to win a ballgame, I like our chances," Arenado said.
Starting pitching is key to Mozeliak's retooling, if you want to call it that. St. Louis has an offense to build around in Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, Brendan Donovan and others, as well as young players like Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman on the come up. Starting pitching, for now, is missing.
That can all change at the trade deadline.
