Mets Reportedly 'May Trade' From Rotation; Cardinals Should Pursue Deal

St. Louis should consider making a move for one of New York's hurlers

Jun 30, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Luis Severino (40) pitches in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals have less than five weeks to find ways to bolster their roster before the July 30 trade deadline as rumors and speculations continue to heat up.

The Cardinals will likely be in the market for a veteran starting pitcher but there aren't many options this summer, so St. Louis might have to be aggressive to land what they're looking for.

Luckily, the New York Mets have a substantial depth of starting pitchers and might be willing to trade away talent from their rotation this summer.

"They (Mets) are a rare fortunate contender that won’t need rotation or positional aid," New York Post's Jon Heyman wrote Sunday. "They, in fact, may be the only contending team that may trade from their stash of starters while still staying in the race, as our Mike Puma reported. Jose Butto, Christian Scott and Megill are extras now, meaning vets like Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana or even Luis Severino could hit the market."

Manaea, Quintana and Severino are three veteran hurlers who would significantly bolster the Cardinals rotation if St. Louis can acquire one of them before the deadline.

Both Quintana and Severino are impending free agents and Manaea has a $13.5 million player option in 2025. So, St. Louis could either pick up a rental or a proven hurler that could also be around for another season.

If the Mets continue to look like contenders, they'll look to add bullpen depth and St. Louis has the firepower to make a trade happen -- such as Andrew Kittredge, who becomes a free agent this offseason or Giovanny Gallego, who has a club option for 2025.

Trading away an essential piece of St. Louis' bullpen -- which has been the strongest piece of the Cardinals' roster this season -- could be a risky move but if they can acquire a front-end starter in the process, then it might just be worth it.

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