Two Cardinals Hurlers Reportedly Most 'Logical' Trade Candidates With Speculation Heating Up

St. Louis may not look exactly the same after the 2023 MLB Trade Deadline

The St. Louis Cardinals may end up being one of the busiest teams ahead of the 2023 MLB Trade Deadline. 

St. Louis has been a massive disappointment so far this season. The Cardinals currently are in last place in the National League Central with an abysmal 34-48 record halfway through the season. The trade deadline is set to come and pass on August 1 and the club is going to have to decide what route the team will take. 

Will the Cardinals be buyers ahead of the deadline? Will the Cardinals sell? Will the Cardinals do some variation of the two? The jury is still out, but St. Louis will need to make a decision shortly The club has been in trade rumors all season and with the deadline quickly approaching, two players who reportedly could be on the move are starting pitcher Jack Flaherty and Jordan Montgomery, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo. 

"The most logical names that would allow the club to do this are Jack Flaherty and Jordan Montgomery," Woo said. "Both starting pitchers are set to be free agents for the first time in their careers after this season. The starting pitching market this trade deadline is scarce and will heavily favor the sellers. While Montgomery has arguably been the team's most consistent starting pitcher, there is likely no other scenario where his perceived return value would be higher. 

"The same can be said for Flaherty, who has had an inconsistent first half but in his good starts has still shown the ability to be an impactful piece of a contending rotation. This is perhaps the one area of the trade deadline where the advantage favors St. Lous."

Both Montgomery and Flaherty have found their names in trade rumors at different times so far this season. Montgomery has pitched to a 3.52 ERA in 16 starts and Flaherty has compiled a 4.60 ERA in 16 starts. St. Louis' rotation has given the club struggles all season, but Montgomery and Flaherty have been bright spots at times. 

At this point, there's no way for sure to know what the Cardinals will do, but Montgomery and Flaherty may not be on the team by the time August rolls around. 

More MLB: Explosive Cardinals Prospect Reportedly Promoted; Could We See Him In St. Louis Soon?