While the St. Louis Cardinals will look different in 2024, it doesn't sound like the club will be trading away their stars.
St. Louis has some tough decisions to make after winning just 71 games this season. The Cardinals were in an unfamiliar position being sellers ahead of the 2023 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline but it doesn't sound like it will be carrying over to the offseason. St. Louis very well could make some trades this offseason, but any moves would be toward building a better roster in 2024.
Star duo Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt have been hinted as possible trade candidates, but it doesn't sound like they're going anywhere, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch's Derrick Goold.
"Anyone can be traded based on the deal. I'm sure there is a deal out there that the Cardinals would entertain for (Jordan Walker)," Goold said. "It's just not likely that, say, Atlanta wants to talk about Spencer Strider in exchange for bringing a hometown kid back to play right field. The two veterans you name, Goldschmidt and Arenado, have no-trade clauses. They'll be traded if/when they want to be traded and the Cardinals won't have a whole lot of leverage with their salaries and their power to reject a trade.
"That's not the move to look for a starter in return. Look at what the Cardinals traded to get them, and consider if that's something you'd like to do -- for fewer years, so less of a return."
If St. Louis ends up making any deals this offseason, it likely will be trading away from its outfield logjam with the intent of adding pitching. Dealing Arenado or Goldschmidt would insinuate the club doesn't plan on contending for a postseason spot in 2024. It doesn't sound like that is the case. The Cardinals will be looking for pitching this offseason and hopefully will be back in the playoffs next year. Although they struggled this season, there is real hope that the club will turn things around.
Although there are sure to be plenty of rumors, it doesn't sound like St. Louis is entering a rebuild.
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