Cardinals Referenced as Version of ‘Major League’ As Trade Deadline Approaches

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Henry Edgeller | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 6:44 PM ET

It has been a wild ride for the St. Louis Cardinals this season. They have exceeded expectations and stood near the top of the NL central through the first half of the season.

When discussing the Cardinals trade deadline approach, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale referred to the team as “a real life version of ‘Major League.’”

This is not about closer Ryan Helsley playing as “wild thing,” although the flamethrower has seen a rise in his walk rate and a drop in his strikeout rate this season.

“The team is winning despite of the front office’s attempts for them to fail,” Nightengale said.

Of course, failing was never the real mission; but even Nolan Arenado has been surprised by the success of what looked like a rebuilding team. Nightengale’s article references the offseason rumors of Arenado, who was not initially expecting to play another season with the birds on his chest.

In December, Arenado halted a trade that would have sent him to the Houston Astros. The attempts to deal him continued through February but ultimately fell through.

Sonny Gray’s offseason is also mentioned in the article. Despite his contract including a no-trade clause, the Cardinals still attempted to trade him. It was up to Gray if he would waive his clause, and he showed no interest.

The Cardinals tried to rebuild, but they could not get rid of the pieces that were in the way of it jumpstarting. The only gain to the major league roster last offseason was Phil Maton, who has wound up with a career year to this point.

Despite the mishaps in connection between the players and the front office, the camaraderie can be seen between the players. The veteran leadership of Arenado and Gray could play a role in that.

They have some hot players on the market for the upcoming trade season. But if their play is kept up the Cardinals could be buyers at the July 31 deadline.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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