Cardinals Shockingly Linked To Notable Hurler In Exciting Blockbuster Trade Proposal

Could St. Louis make such an aggressive move this winter?

Apr 12, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; A general view of Busch stadium as fans watch the St. Louis Cardinals play the Washington Nationals during the fourth inning. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have one of the most dedicated fan bases in baseball but the last two disappointing seasons have taken its toll.

After retooling the rotation with three veteran starting pitchers, fans were hoping for a different outcome in 2024 but not much has changed. The Cardinals are headed for a second straight year of missing the postseason and it might be time for a significant change this winter.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak is losing the fanbase but perhaps he can redeem himself by going after one of the league's top starters this offseason.

"What gets a loyal and dedicated fan base back on the same page as this organization?" St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Lynn Worthy wrote Saturday morning. "All of these big, heavy questions have to be answered before it’s time to build a roster, but a roster with (Logan) Gilbert — if the (Seattle) Mariners are silly enough to trade him — guarantees fans will want to watch at least every fifth day. Until the Cardinals can get back to developing top-of-the-rotation answers, they have to find them from the outside or accept admitting what it means to go without."

Gilbert has posted a 39-28 record with a 3.61 ERA, 672-to-145 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .228 batting average against and a 1.08 WHIP throughout his four-year career with the Mariners.

The 27-year-old is a top starter for arguably the best rotation in the league and is still under team control through 2027, so trading for him could be pretty tricky.

The All-Star hurler has logged a 7-10 record with a 3.19 ERA, 181-to-32 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .199 batting average against and a 0.90 WHIP in 177 2/3 innings pitched for the Mariners this season.

Seattle's offense is ranked No. 26 in the league with 578 runs scored this season, so the Mariners would likely want a few quality bats in return for Gilbert. Perhaps the Cardinals could give up a haul of top prospects, such as infielder César Prieto (No. 15) and utility man Thomas Saggese (No. 4), along with some other assets, in exchange for the young stud.

If Mozeliak can pull it off, trading for Gilbert would significantly increase St. Louis' chances of turning things around in 2025. It won't come cheap but it might be worth it if landing the right-handed pitcher brings fans back to Busch Stadium next season.

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