4 Players the Cardinals Should Pursue Ahead of the Trade Deadline
By Brian Cass
The St. Louis Cardinals are currently 2.5 games back of first place in the NL Central, and are only a late-season run away from seizing the division, especially after how well they played the Chicago Cubs a week back. The two teams ahead of them in the NL Central standings, the Cubbies and Milwaukee Brewers, have some solid talent, but the Cards are no negative outlier here. If they make a few moves at the trade deadline, they could find themselves in a prime position to leap over the Cubs and Brewers to take the division. Here are four players they could target to help them do just that.
1. Marcus Stroman, SP
After missing out on the Dallas Keuchel sweepstakes, St. Louis is still in need of a starting pitcher to help shore up their rotation. They currently have the 12th lowest team ERA in the MLB at 4.24. It's not terrible by any means, but they could use another veteran pitcher behind the resurgent Adam Wainwright and Miles Mikolas. Marcus Stroman would certainly add a veteran presence to their starting rotation, along with some solid playoff experience. His ERA of 2.84 would be the best ERA in the Cards' current rotation. He would be a great addition and would benefit the team greatly in the postseason, bringing his trademark fire.
2. Alex Colome, RHP
Along with starting pitching, the Cards could also use some help in their bullpen. They have four solid relievers in John Gant, John Brebbia, Jordan Hicks and Andrew Miller, but inserting one more lock-down arm into the mix will be pivotal for the team come playoff time. Chicago White Sox reliever Alex Colome would be a great addition to the 'pen. Chicago is somehow only three games out of a Wild Card spot as of right now, but they're not expected to be contenders come July, about a year ahead of schedule. The fiery Colome could definitely be on the trade block, and don't be surprised if the Cards come calling.
3. Kyle Seager, 3B
Behind Matt Carpenter at third, the Cardinals tend to rely on Jedd Gyorko to provide versatility. However, he simply hasn't performed in that role this year. With the Seattle Mariners struggling, their third baseman Kyle Seager could find himself on the trading block, and he may be willing to trade in his everyday glove at third for a utility role with a contender. He's also had his struggles in 2019 after coming back from injury, hitting .216 along with just two homers, the same amount as Gyorko in only 51 ABs, but he still brings Gold Glove leather to the table. Don't be surprised if you see Seager's name in trade rumors with St. Louis in the coming weeks.
4. LHP, Will Smith
The Cardinals could be in the market for multiple relievers, so targeting someone like San Francisco Giants reliever Will Smith is definitely in the cards. He's appeared in 23 games this year, posting a 2.38 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 22.2 IP. Smith has the fourth highest strikeout percentage among relievers this season as well. His current team, the Giants, are well below .500 and are likely to be sellers at the trade deadline. Moving Smith would be a smart move, and the Cardinals would be equally as smart to give them a call.