The St. Louis Cardinals have a massive day ahead.
The 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline is here. Rumors have been swirling for months and we will finally see what Chaim Bloom and the Cardinals’ front office is planning. As the Cardinals thrived in the first half, there was chatter about potentially adding because the Cardinals were playing so well.
The second half has gone poorly and now the Cardinals are two games under .500 at 55-57. There are just a few hours to go until the deadline and things have been quiet in St. Louis. The day kicked off on Monday with a bang with the Philadelphia Phillies landing Luis Arraez and the Toronto Blue Jays surprisingly adding Jose Soriano in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels.
The most likely option for the Cardinals is selling off pieces. That was expected to be the case with the Blue Jays as well, so technically anything could happen. But, again, expect to see a sale.
With that being said, let’s dive into where things stand and potential trade chips.
Dustin May — Starting Pitcher
If there is a guy who is the most likely player on the Cardinals’ roster to be moved on Monday, it’s Dustin May. He has made 21 starts for the Cardinals and has a 4.38 ERA in 109 innings pitched. May has a mutual option after the season and will likely enter free agency. There are plenty of contenders looking for pitching right now, including the Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, and the Boston Red Sox, among others, per ESPN’s Buster Olney.
If May is still on the Cardinals’ roster when the deadline passes on Monday night, it would be a surprise.
JoJo Romero – Relief Pitcher
If Romero wasn’t on the Injured List, this would be a no-brainer. But that is the case. Still, Romero is going to be a free agent after the season and would make much more sense to move him now, rather than losing him for nothing after the season.
Nolan Gorman — Infielder
While not on the big league roster right now, Gorman is someone to watch. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Cardinals will look around to see what Gorman’s value is in the market.
Alec Burleson — First Baseman
Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported that Burleson is among the “most popular controllable” offensive pieces in the trade market right now, although it’s too early to know if the Cardinals would actually move him.
Tink Hence — Starter/Relief Pitcher
Hence was the Cardinals’ No. 1 overall prospect just a few years ago and this week he was designated for assignment. While he may not get much back, it would be a surprise if St. Louis didn’t look to move him.
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