Cardinals' Success Has Changed How Insiders View Deadline Plans

Jul 27, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom talks with the media before a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Cardinals' Success Has Changed How Insiders View Deadline Plans

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Jun 19, 2026 5:00 PM ET

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The St. Louis Cardinals entered the 2026 season with the expectation being that the club would eventually have to trade veterans away ahead of the deadline this upcoming summer.

For example, when the Cardinals signed Dustin May and Ryne Stanek, the immediate response to the club was how both of these guys could easily be summer trade candidates. Sure, there was some chatter about how they could help St. Louis in the short term, but the majority of the buzz was about how they could eventually bring prospects back.

That was the focus coming into the season, but things have shifted. Or, at least, the perception of the club around baseball has shifted. So much so that it seems like at this point, another insider or analyst around the league is making the case for the Cardinals to add, rather than subtract. For example, The Athletic's Tim Britton, Johnny Flores Jr. and Eno Sarris made the case for the Cardinals to add a starter this summer if the team continues to play as it has.

The Cardinals Are In A Good Place Right Now

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"The Cardinals have banked enough wins to be a fifty-fifty shot at the playoffs right now," Britton, Flores, and Sarris wrote. "That’s higher than the Cubs, though not by much. And, going forward, their rotation ranks worse than the Cubs in almost any way you dice it. So why aren’t they ranked higher on this list than the Cubs? Because they’re in a different spot organizationally.

"This is a team that was supposed to be in transition, working to improve player development and draft processes so that the next great rotation in St. Louis can come from within. But it doesn’t make sense to give a season away. If the Cards can find a way to improve one of the spots in their rotation — particularly with a pitcher who still has some team control— they’d have to be interested."

They're not wrong about the Cardinals needing pitching, especially with Matthew Liberatore struggling.

In the starting pitcher category, the Cardinals were ranked third behind the Athletics and the Chicago Cubs. Arguably, there really isn't a reason why the Cubs are in front of the Cardinals. The Cubs are two games behind the Cardinals in the standings and have not proven this season that they are a better team than St. Louis.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden also has made the case for the Cardinals to add a starter if things stay the same. ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel called the Cardinals a fit for a handful of guys, including Freddy Peralta of the New York Mets. This Cardinals team is on a special run this season. Could it lead to a reinforcement or two coming to town this summer?

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

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