Two Contenders Reportedly Showing Interest In Cardinals Stud; Could Major Trade Be On Way?

One of St. Louis' best players could soon be on the move to a contender

The St. Louis Cardinals could look very different shortly. 

St. Louis wrapped up the first half of the 2023 campaign Sunday against the Chicago White Sox and although the club came away with a win, still is in last place in the National League Central with an abysmal 38-52 record. 

The trade deadline is quickly approaching and will pass on August 1 and the Cardinals are sure to be very active ahead of it. There's no way for sure to know what the club's strategy will be, but plenty of the team's veterans are drawing interest from contenders. One player who could find himself on the move is starting pitcher and free-agent-to-be Jordan Montgomery and two teams that reportedly could be interested are the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies, according to the Belleville News-Democrat's Jeff Jones. 

"As the first half approaches its end, the Cardinals are not the only team closely monitoring the health of Jordan Montgomery," Jones said. "The Blue Jays and Phillies are also among teams considering Montgomery as a possible supplement to their rotations down the stretch."

Montgomery has found his name in trade rumors over the last month as the club has struggled to string together wins. The 30-year-old has been St. Louis' best pitcher this season pitching to 3.23 ERA across 18 starts, but will be a free agent this upcoming offseason and could have some serious value in the trade market. The starting pitching market will be scarce and highly competitive, so Montgomery likely could bring in a solid haul if the Cardinals end up moving him.

Both Toronto and Philadelphia have World Series aspirations and adding a pitcher of Montgomery's caliber could help take either to the next level. There are still about three weeks to go until the trade deadline, but we may not Montgomery in St. Louis for much longer. 

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