What's Next For Struggling Cardinals? Trade For Stud Red Sox Pitcher Could Help Save Season

St. Louis needs to improve its rotation and one Red Sox stud could help

The St. Louis Cardinals' starting rotation could use a jump start. 

St. Louis is 9-13 through 22 games to begin the 2023 season but things haven't been all bad. The Cardinals' offense has shown that it can be one of the league's best, so when the rotation follows suit, the club should be able to start racking up wins.

The Cardinals have uncharacteristically struggled to open the season and through 22 games, Jack Flaherty is the only starter with an ERA under 4.80. Things should improve when hurlers like Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz return to form, but if the club were to consider an external option, one player the team should consider is Boston Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck.

Houck is 26 years old and has impressed not only as a starter but as a reliever at points throughout his young career. The young Red Sox hurler has been in and out of trade rumors since last offseason but no deal has come. The reason for that may be the fact that a trade for Houck likely would cost the team acquiring him a lot. 

The young hurler is cost-effective and under team control for the foreseeable future. If the Cardinals were to deal for Houck, it likely would take an MLB infielder plus at least one prospect. Boston is thin in the middle infielder but has a surplus of pitching, and the Cardinals could use more pitching and have plenty of infielders so a move may make sense. 

St. Louis has four impressive middle infielders in Brendan Donovan, Tommy Edman, former All-Star Paul DeJong, and Nolan Gorman, plus top shortstop prospect Masyn Winn. There's no way for sure to know if a trade will happen, but both sides seem to have something the other team needs. Cardinals fans certainly should be keeping an eye on Houck.

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