Cardinals Predicted To Land Shocking Trade For $18 Million Veteran Star
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The St. Louis Cardinals have tough decisions to make this season.
They're on the edge of contending, and it would make sense to buy ahead of the trade deadline to push for a postseason berth. But it would also make sense to sell the expiring contracts in an attempt to reload for next season.
However, if the Cardinals intend to buy, they're going to need to add some pitching at the deadline.
Sports Illustrated's Nicholas Selbe recently predicted the Cardinals would land a shocking trade for Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly.
DENVER, CO - JUNE 21: Starting pitcher Merrill Kelly #29 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a pitch to home plate in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 21, 2025...
DENVER, CO - JUNE 21: Starting pitcher Merrill Kelly #29 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a pitch to home plate in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 21, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. More"Kelly has never made an All-Star team or garnered Cy Young votes, but he's been one of the league's most solid starters since coming over from the KBO in 2019," Selbe wrote. "His 3.78 ERA over that span ranks 14th (min. 800 IP), ahead of hurlers like Dylan Cease and Aaron Nola.
"He also showed during Arizona's 2023 World Series run that he can be counted on in the playoffs, recording a 2.25 ERA in four postseason starts. The 36-year-old could make for a sneaky-good hired arm amid one of his best seasons if the D-Backs elect to move him before he enters free agency in the winter."
While Kelly would be a great fit for the Cardinals, this trade doesn't make much sense because his contract expires at the end of the season. That would give the Cardinals three starting pitchers (Kelly, Erick Fedde, and Miles Mikolas) who are set to leave in free agency at the end of the season.
The Cardinals would need to give up some solid prospects to land a surging pitcher like Kelly, and it's likely not going to be worth it for St. Louis.
Even with the potential addition of Kelly, this isn't a serious World Series contender yet. They're still a year or two away from putting that roster together. St. Louis would be better off adding controllable talent rather than expiring talent.
More MLB: MLB Writer Suggests Shocking Red Sox Trade For $10.9 Million Slugger
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And despite his best efforts to conceal such frustrations during games, Roberts has noticed the toll his slump has started to take. 'I think he just wants consistency from his swing,' Roberts said. 'Wants to feel right consistently.' Somewhat amazingly, the Dodgers haven't missed a beat even with their superstar pairing clearly out of tune. The team is 13-4 in its last 17 games. The offense has scored six runs per game in that span, half-a-run better than its already MLB-leading season average. Other middle-of-the-order bats — from current NL batting leader Will Smith, to June player of the month candidate Max Muncy and rising second-year star Andy Pages — have helped pick up the slack. Ohtani, meanwhile, leads the National League with 28 home runs even while returning to two-way duties. But in the long run, much of the Dodgers' success still figures to run through Betts and Freeman. 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