Cardinals Urged To Replace Veteran In Huge Trade

The St. Louis Cardinals have a massive issue in their starting rotation. Miles Mikolas has been largely uncompetitive over the last month and it's coming back to hurt the Cardinals. If this team is going to be a postseason team, Mikolas can't be on the roster in October.

With that in mind, FanSided's Christopher Kline recently urged the Cardinals to swing a trade to replace Mikolas in the coming weeks.

"Over his last five outings, Mikolas has coughed up 24 earned runs in 26 innings. That is not a sustainable output. The Cardinals are still five games above .500 and within striking distance of Chicago atop the division," Kline wrote. "At worst, the Cards have the feel of a Wild Card team. But that will require an upgrade (or several) before the July 31 trade deadline.

"This isn't exactly a revolutionary idea, but the Cardinals have committed to contention — or some level of success — with an expensive, veteran roster. As such, they might as well lean in and search for upgrades at the trade deadline. There is always a robust market for starting pitching at the deadline. Mozeliak needs to be careful about not mortgaging the future, as St. Louis' farm system is already lagging behind most organizations leaguewide."

There are a lot of starting pitchers expected to be on the trade block. The Cardinals could pick from any of them that fit the prospect capital the front office is willing to trade.

If St. Louis is only willing to cut ties with minimal prospect capital, a trade for somebody like Tyler Anderson or Walker Buehler could work. But if the Cardinals are willing to trade more prospects, going after Sandy Alcántara or one of the big fish on the market would be the best case scenario.

Either way, the Cardinals need to replace Mikolas one way or another.