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Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Cardinals Struggling Slugger Should Be Offseason Trade Priority

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Oct 28, 2025 12:19 PM ET

Chaim Bloom certainly won't have much down time in his first offseason leading the way for the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals have a handful of All-Stars who could be moved, dwindling attendance numbers to address, and long-term questions about the roster in general. The Cardinals are coming off a season in which they won just 78 games and finished below .500 for the second time in three seasons. There are payroll questions and it's unclear what the team is going to be willing to spend to add players. All in all, there are way more questions than answers.

Even if the Cardinals don't make any big-time additions, one thing that arguably would help the team in 2026 and moving forward would be to clear up some of the logjams that the club has going on. For example, in 2025, one of the bigger storylines throughout the season was the fact that it was difficult to get Alec Burleson, Jordan Walker, and Nolan Gorman all consistent at-bats when you take into account the fact that there were other options on the team getting everyday at-bats, like Lars Nootbaar, Nolan Arenado when he was healthy, Brendan Donovan, and Willson Contreras among others.

This has been a talking point for the team going on at least two or three years now and needs to be addressed this offseason. Arguably, the best way to do so would be to trade Gorman away, rather than someone like Burleson, Walker, or Donovan.

The Cardinals should try to trade Nolan Gorman

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Gorman is young enough and has enough upside that there is likely a team out there that can convince itself to roll the dice on him. In 2023, he had 27 homers and 76 RBIs in 119 games played. That potential is there, but a change of scenery arguably is something that would help get it out of him. His home run and RBI numbers dropped each of the last two seasons and he doesn't get on base much. In 2025, he hit 14 homers, drove in 46 runs, and was a .205 hitter in 111 games played.

For Gorman, there have been plenty of times in which he didn't receive consistent at-bats, but the production didn't come even when Arenado was out and he was playing third base consistently this season.

When the Cardinals go to the drawing board and figure out this roster, clearing up the logjams is a must. There were too many questions about lineup construction in 2025 for a team that won just 78 games. Moving Gorman would open up at-bats and that should be a priority. Burleson and Walker were two of the other guys viewed as "runway" players and both arguably have more upside at this point and should get as many opportunities as possible.

If Contreras isn't going to waive his no-trade clause, he'll be at first base. You need time in the outfield or as the designated hitter for Burleson. For Walker, he's an outfielder. If you trade Gorman, that would make it easier to balance Walker in the outfield and Burleson as DH. The infield would still be a question, but if Arenado gets moved, there's a world in which you could have Donovan and JJ Wetherholt in there with Masyn Winn and Contreras and plenty of at-bats to go around.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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