Dealing Phenom Could Give Cardinals 'Difference-Maker' In Rotation

Will the Cardinals make a move of this nature this winter?

Sep 21, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) hits a two run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals need to find a way to add some more firepower this offseason.

St. Louis isn't going to be in the postseason, but it has taken a positive step forward. The Cardinals currently have a 79-77 record with just a few games to go in the regular season. St. Louis is far better than it was last year, but it didn't take a big enough step to get back to the playoffs.

The Cardinals need to be active once again this winter, and this could lead to some choices. FanSided's Zachary Rotman put together a list of four hypothetical moves the team could make to get back on track in 2025. One that he mentioned was deciding whether or not to give Jordan Walker a consistent role, and if they decide against it, a trade could net a starter.

"Has Walker played well enough in September to earn an everyday role on the 2025 Cardinals? That's a question only (John Mozeliak) and Co. can answer, but if the answer is no, he must be traded," Rotman said. "Keeping him in Triple-A will only diminish his value further, limiting what St. Louis can get in a deal, and likely won't do Walker much good as he's already spent a good amount of time there.

"Trading Walker can get the Cardinals a difference-maker in the rotation or lineup that they could use. Keeping him is an option, too, but only if he's an everyday player given more than the first three weeks of the season to produce. The ball is in your court, Mo."

Walker had a very solid rookie year but was demoted quickly this season and spent much of the campaign in the minor leagues. It was a weird decision from the beginning. Walker is 22 years old and has all of the upside in the world, but St. Louis needs to figure out a concrete plan moving forward. He can be one of the team's outfielders of the future. But if the Cardinals don't think so, a move for a starting pitcher from a team like the Seattle Mariners could make sense.

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