Aug 31, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (21) high fives teammates after scoring on a sacrifice fly out hit by designated hitter Ivan Herrera (not pictured) in the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Two Cardinals Trade Deadline Candidates Already Emerge

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 6, 2026 3:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals have been the most active team in the trade market this offseason.

St. Louis cut ties with Brendan Donovan , Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras in what has been a transformational offseason in Chaim Bloom's first offseason leading the club as the team's president of baseball operations.

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With Spring Training set to kick off next week, it's safe to assume that things are going to be winding down on the trade front. Outside of the four guys who were dealt, JoJo Romero has been another guy talked about as a trade chip, but he is still in the organization. While the offseason is winding down, speculation has already started based on what the trade deadline could look like this upcoming summer. ESPN's Bradford Doolittle and David Schoenfield broke down the Donovan trade and in the process noted that both Dustin May and Lars Nootbaar will be summer trade candidates if they're playing well at the time.

The Cardinals should consider everything

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"All in all, it's a good return for two years of [Brendan Donovan] -- a nice player and valuable contributor, but hardly a star," Doolittle and Schoenfield wrote. "This basically completes the -- well, fire sale is a bit strong, so we'll be generous and call it a regenerating process, with Donovan, Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras all traded this offseason. The only players on the Cardinals now making $5 million in 2026 are pitcher Dustin May ($12 million) and outfielder Lars Nootbaar ($5.35 million). May is on a one-year deal with a mutual option, and Nootbaar has two years of team control. Both are trade candidates if they're playing well in July and the Cardinals are out of the playoff picture."

This should be exactly how the front office is thinking right now. If May can turn it on this upcoming season after a healthy offseason, he would be a valuable trade chip for a team looking for pitching later on. The same can be said about Nootbaar. He's been talked about as a trade chip this offseason, but he is coming off heel surgery, so it's safe to assume the value isn't high right now.

Outside of these two, the same can be said about veteran hurler Ryne Stanek, who the Cardinals signed this offseason. We've seen what Bloom can do this offseason when it comes to bringing prospects back to town. When the deadline rolls around, the Cardinals should absolutely see what May, Nootbaar and Stanek can bring in, unless they're on a significant run at that point.

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

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