The St. Louis Cardinals are entering the trade deadline with a more complex outlook than expected, as their recent surge has put them back in the playoff picture. Once seen as likely sellers, they’ve flipped the script — and it’s frustrating rival teams that had hoped to acquire some of their pitching help.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, one anonymous MLB general manager had been eyeing Cardinals arms for a bullpen boost but admitted, “It sucks,” now that St. Louis is likely off the seller’s market. Instead of offloading talent for prospects, the Cardinals could become buyers at the deadline.
Thanks to a quiet offseason, they now have some financial flexibility to pursue meaningful upgrades. With less than two months until the trade deadline, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak faces a pivotal choice. If this does end up being his final season in charge, making a bold push could be quite the parting statement.
John Mozeliak will have a complicated end to his Cardinals tenure thanks to recent resurgence
In a Q\&A with MLB.com, John Mozeliak acknowledged that he’s actually leaning into the complexity of this year’s trade deadline. And you can’t really fault him for it. The challenge lies in determining the right direction for the team.
If the Cardinals were struggling, the path would be obvious—trade away valuable pieces for future assets. But with the team now firmly in the playoff hunt, Mozeliak’s focus shifts to identifying what specific upgrades are needed to sustain their wild card push.
What’s most surprising is that despite a low-spending offseason and the pressure placed on a young roster, Mozeliak isn’t shocked to see his team in the mix for October.
Cardinals are optimistic about their young talent
It’s starting to look like Mozeliak had a plan all along. Now, in what could be his final season with the Cardinals, he has a chance to leave a lasting impression. He no longer has to deal with tough decisions like whether to move Nolan Arenado or prematurely give up on Jordan Walker — discussions that felt inevitable when the season looked like it was slipping away early.
But things have changed. There’s real optimism in St. Louis — not just in how the current roster is performing, but in what the right trade deadline moves could do to elevate this team even further.
So if you were counting on the Cardinals to be sellers, lining up names you hoped to snag from their roster, it’s time to adjust your thinking. St. Louis is showing they’re legit. And if they go all-in as buyers? They could become even more dangerous down the stretch.
