ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The 2023 Trade Deadline day is finally here and while this Deadline Day will feel significantly different for all of Cardinals Nation, the St. Louis Cardinals are still expected to have a pretty active deadline Tuesday with plenty of trade candidates still remaining on the team.
While the Cardinals have already traded their big trade pieces in Jordan Hicks and Jordan Montgomery, the team still have some valuable commodities on the roster that teams fighting for a postseason would still cherish like Jack Flaherty or Paul DeJong
With plenty of buyers in a quite obvious sellers market looking for starting pitching and infield, the expectations are that most of the remaining Cardinals who have expiring contracts would be moved today, but there are still interest in some players on the team who have a ton of team control left.
Here's a look at each of the remaining trade candidates and see where things stand for them.
JACK FLAHERTY, RHP
While a pending free agent and his overall numbers of a 4.45 ERA, three points below the league-average ERA, and K/9 of 8.7 in 109.2 innings have not been terrific, the need for starting pitcher is quite high.
Almost every team still in the postseason hunt still need a starting pitching besides maybe one or two teams. With so many teams in the need for a starter, it is all but likely Flaherty will be moved.
However, Flaherty's market could hinge on how other two factors play out: the Detroit Tigers and Justin Verlander.
The Tigers are expected to move starting pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Lorenzen, though reportedly, the asking price was justifiably high for both pitchers.
In addition, Verlander's trade market begun to significantly move Monday, with the likes of the defending champions Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers vying for his services.
In addition, early Tuesday it was reported that the Baltimore Orioles are vying for the future Hall of Famer services.
With Rodriguez, Lorenzen and Verlander still being the best remaining starters left at the deadline, it would likely need a domino effect for the Flaherty market to pick up, but in despite of that, it is all but likely Flaherty would be moved regardless.
PAUL DEJONG, SS
DeJong is a name that is almost certainly to move. While he does have a team option of $10 million, it is almost near 100% certain it would be declined. While DeJong seasonal numbers have been alright(I guess), slashing a .233/.297/.412 slash line with 13 home runs, there is still a market for DeJong.
While most of the big trade candidates on the hitting side either already traded(Jaimer Candelario) or taken off the block (Cody Bellinger), the hitting market is quite weak with the likes of Mariners outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, White Sox Shortstop Tim Anderson, and DeJong among the top bats remaining.
A team to potentially look at for DeJong are the Toronto Blue Jays. Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette left Monday's loss to the Baltimore Orioles with right knee discomfort, it could push the team to make another deal with the Cardinals.
ALEC BURLESON, OF
Alec Burleson has been someone whose name has picked up quite a bit of steam on the trade rumors for last couple days.
While plenty of Cardinals fans would be confused why team's would want a batter who only hitting .239/.291/.394 with only six home runs in his first full season in MLB baseball, you have to dig deeper to see that Burleson has already good makings of a future solid bat.
Burleson analytics numbers are very much serviceable, and have also shown Burleson has been quite unlucky this season. Burleson's average exit velocity of 90.5, and a hard hit rate of 41.1%, are both above league average numbers.
In addition, what makes very intrigued about Burleson is hit quite eye-opening plate discipline. With a strikeout percentage of only 10.7%, Burleson strikeout and whiff percentage both ranked in the up 90 percentile, which is quite good.
With Burleson not set to be a free agent until 2029, the Cardinals are in no rush to trade the former Top-100 prospect. However in a seller's market and with the lack of quality bats on the trade market, could it tempt the front office to move Burleson if the right offer is there?
It quite possible Burleson could be moved. But with plenty of team control left, it's probably best to bet that Burleson will still be with the team and Cardinals should still expect to see him wear the Burleson wear the birds on the bat Tuesday night.
DYLAN CARLSON, OF
Like Burleson, the Cardinals aren't quite in a rush to move Carlson. With three more years of team control, the need to trade Carlson is as quite high as it is with DeJong or Flaherty.
However with the lack of bats available on the trade market, and the Cardinals need to acquire more starting pitching, it could tempt the team to make a deal that could move the team's top prospect.
A team that had been vying for Carlson services was the New York Yankees. However, with the Evil Empire beginning the second half so poorly, losing nine of the team's first 15 games this half, it has dropped the team to dead last in the dreaded AL East division, and 3.5 out of the final Wild Card spot. It now has pushed the team to do a soft sell-off with likes of pitcher Luis Severino and former Cardinals centerfielder Harrison Bader both on the market.
With a three more years of team control left, the Cardinals aren't in quite a rush to move the likes of Carlson, but it wouldn't be all that surprising to see the team move Carlson this deadline