Cardinals Mock Blockbuster Would Land $2.85M Fan-Favorite With Mariners

Will the Cardinals make a move in the not-so-distant future?

May 12, 2018; Detroit, MI, USA; Hat and glove of Seattle Mariners center fielder Dee Gordon (9) sits in dugout during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have been in a lot of trade talk this offseason already.

St. Louis has plenty of players who could be on their way out of town. The most talked about options certainly have been Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, Ryan Helsley, and Willson Contreras. They aren't the only players who could be on the move, though.

FanSided's Josh Jacobs put together a list of five "wild" hypothetical blockbuster deals and proposed one between the Seattle Mariners and Cardinals that would send fan-favorite outfielder Lars Nootbaar to Miami in exchange for Bryan Woo or Bryce Miller.

"I promise the rest of the deals I have cooked up are a different formula than this, but like the Marlins deal before this, the Cardinals and Mariners have been long linked together by both fans and pundits to swing a deal together," Jacobs said. "The Mariners' rotation is currently made up of George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo, and all three are middle-of-the-rotation arms or front-line starters moving forward...

"It would be a big risk for the Cardinals to give up the upside that Nootbaar has, but the incentive to do so is by getting a young, proven starter with upside that does not hit free agency until 2030. Miller posted a 2.94 ERA in 31 starts for the Mariners this year and will likely receive Cy Young votes. While he doesn't have the flashy strikeout stuff that excites fans, his fastball plays at a high level, and his split-finger compliments it well to induce ground balls. Woo, like Miller, posted a sub-3.00 ERA (2.89) in his 22 starts, and was elite at inducing weak contact and preventing walks."

Nootbaar will make just under $3 million in 2025 and could be a key piece for years to come. A trade only should be considered if the team can land a young player with similar upside at a position of need. This idea for Woo or Miller is the exact type of move that could work.

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