Cardinals Star Could Be 'Top Trade Target' In Possible Surprising Move

Could the Cardinals actually end up making a shocking move and dealing the star?

Jun 6, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals seem more likely to buy ahead of the 2024 Major League Baseball trade deadline than sell at this point.

St. Louis currently is three games under .500 at 30-33, but the National League has been abysmal this season and the Cardinals are in contention for a Wild Card spot. The Cardinals have the talent to turn things around but some still have been speculating they could end up having a firesale around the deadline for the second straight year.

Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller put together a list of 25 pitchers who could be traded this summer and called Cardinals ace Sonny Gray the "top trade target" of the National League Central, although a deal should be considered unlikely.

"Gray turns 35 this winter and is on a back-loaded contract that St. Louis might try to unload if it falls out of contention," Miller said. "Maybe not, though, as he finished second in the AL Cy Young vote last season and has been even more potent this season with a 3.21 ERA and a career-best strikeout rate of 12.0 K/9. Quite the fine wine here who would have a ton of suitors if the Cardinals do dangle him ahead of the deadline."

Gray has been everything the Cardinals could've hoped for this season so a trade should be considered extremely unlikely. The Cardinals entered this past offseason needing to bolster the rotation and landing Gray was their biggest move.

It would be shocking if he wasn't still on the Cardinals' roster when August rolls around.

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