Cardinals Predicted To Trade Top 2 Prospects For Red Sox All-Star

The St. Louis Cardinals have won a lot more baseball games this season than many expected. It's turned the expectations from the Cardinals being aggressive sellers at the trade deadline to the Cardinals potentially being buyers.

If they're buyers, they could look to make a massive move for a controllable star.

Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer recently suggested the Cardinals could swing a trade for Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran in exchange for top prospect JJ Wetherholt and second ranked prospect Quinn Mathews.

"Though the Cardinals technically haven't turned their front office over to Bloom just yet, that is the plan and it's looking like he won't even have to rebuild," Rymer wrote. "At 33-27, they have made it far enough to at least consider buying at the deadline.

"They don't have a bad outfield, but Jordan Walker is holding them back in right field. Duran's arrival could take care of that by bumping Lars Nootbaar from left to right, with Victor Scott II and his defense remaining in center. The Red Sox getting the Cardinals' two best prospects in exchange would sound good on paper, and it would help that both have made it as far as the high minors."

The Cardinals might not want to give up Wetherholt or Mathews in a trade this season, let alone both of their top prospects in one deal. Value wise, this might not be an overpay for the Cardinals, but the idea of trading the top two prospects in your organization doesn't sit well with many.

Instead, the Cardinals could look to revolve a potential Duran deal around somebody like Ryan Helsley. Helsley would help the Red Sox win right now while a few prospects involved in the package would set Boston up for the future.

Acquiring Duran would be a huge move for St. Louis to make, especially with Jordan Walker struggling as badly as he has this season. But it shouldn't come at the cost of the team's best two prospects, both of which are banging on the door of the big leagues.