A Cardinals-Rangers trade to bring World Series ace into lacking STL rotation

For the first month and a half of the 2024 season, the St. Louis Cardinals looked like they were headed toward another finish at the bottom of the NL Central. They came back in dramatic fashion to avoid a sweep on Mother’s Day, and have gone 34-22 since, ending the first half four games over .500 and finding themselves right in the thick of the postseason race.

Not only do the Cardinals enter Saturday’s doubleheader against the Braves in sole possession of the second Wild Card spot, but they’re just 4.5 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. With the right moves at the trade deadline, they absolutely can win the division.

One area St. Louis must address in particular is their starting rotation, particularly the No. 2 spot behind Sonny Gray. Nathan Eovaldi, a player St. Louis has been linked to, fits that bill to a tee.

Not only is Eovaldi a strong option in the regular season, but he also has a substantial postseason track record, playing an integral role on two World Series-winning teams including last season’s Texas Rangers squad.

Eovaldi has had a good year, posting a 3.36 ERA in 17 starts and 99 innings pitched. He’s making $17 million this season, and has a $20 million vesting option for 2025 if he reaches a combined 300 innings between last season and this season. Eovaldi is likely to reach that mark if he can stay healthy down the stretch considering he is 57 innings away with another couple of months to play.

That extra year of Eovaldi means he’d cost more, especially since the Rangers might not be rushing to sell. Their postseason odds are slim, but far from zero. If the Cardinals want Eovaldi, they’re going to have to pay up.

In addition to Eovaldi, the Cardinals would be acquiring Robbie Grossman in this deal. Grossman’s .637 OPS might be underwhelming, but his .810 OPS against left-handed pitching would help this team a ton. The Cardinals rank 29th in the majors with a 78 WRC+ against left-handed pitching, and their glut of left-handed hitting outfielders are a major reason why. It would be helpful if Grossman could play center field, but if Tommy Edman comes back healthy, Grossman’s inability to do so would not hurt much.

The centerpiece of the return is Victor Scott II, a speedy center fielder who made the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster but struggled mightily, recording just five hits in 59 at-bats. How good his bat will be remains to be seen, but taking a chance on a player who can be an absolute menace on the base paths and be a strong defender makes a lot of sense. It wouldn’t be too hard for him to be an upgrade over Leody Taveras, either.

Cooper Hjerpe, the Cardinals’ No. 7 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, earned a promotion to AA after pitching well at High-A to start the year and all he has done at the higher level is pitch better. He has a 3.07 ERA in his four starts. He’s currently on the IL, but there’s every reason to believe he can contribute next season at the MLB level.

Zack Showalter is a bit more of a lottery ticket considering he’s farther away, but he has posted eye-popping strikeout numbers in Single-A and is just 20 years old. It might be a while until he’s ready to contribute at the MLB level, but he’s an exciting prospect and a strong third piece to add.

In a relatively weak National League, the Cardinals should be aggressive on the trade front considering how well they’ve played for a couple of months now. By adding a high-end arm like Eovaldi and fixing a smaller need against left-handed pitching, the Cardinals become even scarier. The likelihood of having Eovaldi for an extra year makes giving up these exciting prospects worthwhile.