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New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Cardinals mailbag: Trade deadline, roster construction and playing decisions
After a woeful two weeks, the St. Louis Cardinals thrust themselves back on track with a three-game sweep over the Chicago White Sox. Still, plenty of questions remain for the club ahead of a pivotal seven-game homestand against two division foes. The Cardinals (40-35) will head back to Busch Stadium for a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds before taking on the Chicago Cubs for the first time this year for four games. Advertisement How will the club's upcoming stretch impact impending decisions about the trade deadline, roster construction and playing time? You asked; we did our best to answer. Let's get to it in our latest subscriber mailbag. Note: Submitted questions have been edited for clarity and length. EXTRA INNINGS NOOT-BOMB! 💣 — St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 20, 2025 The Cardinals have an awkward roster. Three catchers, about a million DHs and, somehow, not one (enticing) right-handed-hitting outfielder at any level after Jordan Walker. There is also the big second-base logjam with Thomas Saggese already squeezed out by Brendan Donovan and Nolan Gorman, with JJ Wetherholt right on his heels, torching his way through Double A. Is this just a result of the reset (retool? rebuild?) season, where we're seeing everything being thrown at the wall to find out what sticks? Is the front office concerned with this as the trade deadline approaches? Does it want to wait until the offseason so it can have a better grasp on the talent it has on hand before trading away some of its depth? — Evan O. You nailed it. The roster construction is questionable at best, but to the team's credit, it has been able to outdo expectations. You bring up a strong point about the plethora of middle infielders, and you're also correct that some of this logjam is a byproduct of the team's reset plan. The organization can't make decisions on which players to keep if it doesn't have a full understanding of what each player is (and finding out was the primary objective of this season). The front office isn't overly concerned about this, mainly because it won't be John Mozeliak's problem. Chaim Bloom will inherit the roster come November — and the assortment of challenging decisions that will come with it. It's improbable a major trade involving any of the young players or top prospects will occur at the deadline. The Cardinals wanted a full season of player performance — not half of one — before making any long-term decisions. That shouldn't change regardless of how the team performs over the next month. Advertisement That's not to say the Cardinals won't be active at the deadline, and we'll get to that later. But for those of you hoping to see some of the middle infield or catching surplus traded away this July, shift your focus to the offseason. If St. Louis decides to go that route, it will likely be a Bloom decision. The season has gone better than expected, but the team has hit a rough patch in June. If the team is sitting around .500 going into the trade deadline, do you have a feel as to whether it will buy or sell? I understand the reasoning for both, but it'd be a great opportunity to move someone like Miles Mikolas or Erick Fedde to make space for Michael McGreevy and give him a full runway for the rest of the season. — Brent M. Will the Cardinals be buyers at the deadline or will they stick to the mantra of seeing young kids play? Any chance they sell for some pitching? — Michael N. It's still too early to tell if the Cardinals will buy or sell. We'll have a better indication of where things stand ahead of the All-Star break, but that is still four weeks away, and a lot can change in the standings between now and then. One thing we do know: Regardless of whether the team buys or sells, the priority will remain the future. If the Cardinals add at the deadline, they will do so incrementally. If they sell, it will likely involve players on expiring deals. The Cardinals indeed could shop Fedde, who is in the final season of his $7.5 million contract, to make room for McGreevy in the rotation, but only if they feel comfortable with their pitching depth. Trading Mikolas would be much more difficult, as he's owed more ($17.5 million this year) and has a full no-trade clause. Steven Matz could also be a trade candidate, but St. Louis would have to find a viable solution to backfill his spot in the bullpen, especially if it's contending. There is also a chance the Cardinals become sellers but make themselves more competitive in the process. How is that possible, you ask? The 2024 Detroit Tigers serve as an ideal blueprint. The Tigers traded four players in the last deadline — Jack Flaherty, Mark Canha, Andrew Chafin and Carson Kelly — but elected to keep eventual American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Those decisions opened the door for an abundance of young talent, which propelled Detroit to a playoff berth. That's a path the Cardinals would gladly take this year. Who's making the final call on trades, or even the organizational philosophy to buy or sell, and to what degree: Mozeliak or Bloom? — Gregory D. How much, if any, will Bloom influence the trade deadline decisions this year? — Robert T. From a baseball operations standpoint, it's Mozeliak running the show at the deadline. He remains in charge of the major-league decisions for the rest of the season while Bloom oversees the first year of a multiyear renovation plan in the minor leagues. Inner rumblings within the organization say Bloom will be available for feedback should any of Mozeliak's potential trades impact players not on expiring contracts, but it remains to be seen just how active he will be permitted to be in the decision-making process. Advertisement As to what degree, that's not up to Bloom or Mozeliak. That's strictly an ownership call, and there is no telling what chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. will do, especially if the Cardinals look to be contenders at the end of July. The team has prepared for a recession period due to a predicted decline in ticket sales and the restructuring of its television deal. It has also pledged a substantial relocation of funds to the minor leagues as part of a long-needed overhaul of the player development system. That's why payroll was cut drastically before the season and why the organization attempted to offload heavy contracts such as Nolan Arenado's. It's highly unlikely ownership will switch course halfway through the year. That means whatever trades the Cardinals do make this year won't register much on the Richter scale. If they buy, expect moves to improve immediate roster needs, but not anything that will impact 2026 and beyond. If they sell, expect players on expiring deals to be the ones who are shopped. It seems to me we're at a point where trading the (impending) free-agent pitchers is coming closer to reality. It seems the odds of any of them coming back are minimal. That's a huge chunk of a pitching staff to replenish. Do you foresee the team really being able to replace them in the offseason? — Brian S. Which prospects are setting themselves apart to be considered top prospects for the organization? — John H. You are right that it's improbable the Cardinals bring back Mikolas, Fedde or Matz. I think the club can replenish these vacancies, but it would do so internally. McGreevy is basically a lock for a spot in the rotation next year. Quinn Mathews is back with Triple-A Memphis after missing six weeks on the injured list, and the organization remains quite high on him. Tink Hence was also recently activated off the IL and transferred to Double-A Springfield, and though there are some concerns over his sustainability as a starting pitcher, the Cardinals will continue to give him ample opportunity to build up. St. Louis took a significant hit when 2022 first-round pick Cooper Hjerpe underwent Tommy John surgery in April, but that makes the club's experiments with Andre Pallante and Matthew Liberatore that much more important. If either pitcher can prove his ability in the rotation this year, that's one less spot the organization has to worry about filling. One pitching prospect who has really excited the organization is Tekoah Roby. The 23-year-old (who came to St. Louis from the Texas Rangers as one of the returns for Jordan Montgomery and Chris Stratton in 2023) has exceptional stuff, as evidenced by his 66 strikeouts over 57 1/3 innings this year. Roby made 10 starts for Springfield before being promoted to Memphis at the beginning of June. He'll need to continue racking up innings — injuries have shortened his last two seasons, and he has not logged more than 60 innings in a season since 2022. But he remains a tantalizing prospect and is an early contender to break into the rotation in 2026. Tekoah Roby was nearly untouchable tonight: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 11 K — Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) May 17, 2025 There's all the talk of the runway for players like Walker and Gorman, but does that same idea also apply to Lars Nootbaar? He has struggled recently, and I'm honestly not sure if I trust his record, especially considering his inability to stay healthy. — Dan H. If Walker and Gorman were priority No. 1 this season, consider Nootbaar priority 1A. Nootbaar was always under the runway umbrella, though the concern from the organization was more health-related than performance. To your point about his injury track record: In four seasons in the big leagues, Nootbaar played no more than 117 games and spent significant time on the IL in each of his last three seasons. Nootbaar has done a nice job staying on the field this year, and it's been a top priority for him. He knows the organization will be evaluating his performance this year before deciding what his role will be in the future. That's why manager Oli Marmol has continued to play Nootbaar despite arguably the worst slump of the 27-year-old's career. Similar to Walker and Gorman, the Cardinals need to know if Nootbaar can overcome and make adjustments at the major-league level, and the only way to find that out is by playing him every day. Advertisement To what extent are we going to be inundated with Arenado trade rumors in the coming months? — Keith H. Probably not to the extent of last offseason (which I'm still recovering from), but expect Arenado's name to still pop up in rumors as we inch closer to July. However, the likelihood of Arenado being traded is not high. As we learned over the winter, Arenado's full no-trade clause has greatly slimmed potential landing spots. His performance also hasn't increased his value. In fact, his .686 OPS would likely serve as a deterrent for a contending team, and that's to say nothing of the money still owed on his contract. Still, you can never say never in a situation like this. But an Arenado trade, if it ever does occur, seems much more probable this winter than this summer. (Photo of Michael McGreevy: Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images)
CBS News
3 days ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Contreras and Pozo rally Cardinals past White Sox in 1st game of doubleheader
Willson Contreras hit a tying homer in the eighth inning and pinch-hitter Yohel Pozo singled home the go-ahead run as the St. Louis Cardinals rallied past the skidding Chicago White Sox 5-4 in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday. Chicago reliever Cam Booser (1-4) began the eighth with a 4-2 lead and gave up a leadoff single to Alec Burleson. Contreras hit the next pitch out to left-center for a two-run shot. Nolan Gorman reached on Booser's throwing error and scored the tiebreaking run with two outs when Pozo hit a line drive to left field on a full-count pitch, sending the White Sox to their seventh consecutive defeat. St. Louis has won three of four since a six-game slide. The Cardinals loaded the bases with nobody out in the first against Sean Burke but managed only Contreras' sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. Chicago tied it on shortstop Masyn Winn's throwing error in the fourth and took a 2-1 lead when Andrew Benintendi tripled and scored on Miguel Vargas' single in the fifth. Brandon Eisert replaced Burke with two on in the sixth and walked Nolan Arenado intentionally before walking Lars Nootbaar on five pitches to make it 2-all. Lenyn Sosa struck out against Steven Matz leading off the sixth but reached first base on a wild pitch. Michael A. Taylor hit his fourth homer one out later to give the White Sox a 4-2 lead. Cardinals starter Erick Fedde allowed two runs — one earned — and six hits in five innings. Andre Granillo (1-0) got the final out in the seventh for his first major league win. Phil Maton pitched a scoreless eighth and Ryan Helsley finished for his 14th save in 19 opportunities. Burke gave up two runs — one earned — and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out seven. Contreras' tying homer perhaps rattled Booser, who followed with a throwing error that allowed Gorman to reach and a wild pitch that put him in scoring position. Contreras became the first Cardinals player to hit 10 homers this season — in the team's 74th game. In the makeup of Wednesday night's rainout, Cardinals RHP Michael McGreevy (1-1, 3.09 ERA) started Game 2 opposite White Sox rookie Mike Vasil (3-2, 1.99).
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Contreras and Pozo rally Cardinals past White Sox in 1st game of doubleheader
CHICAGO (AP) — Willson Contreras hit a tying homer in the eighth inning and pinch-hitter Yohel Pozo singled home the go-ahead run as the St. Louis Cardinals rallied past the skidding Chicago White Sox 5-4 in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday. Chicago reliever Cam Booser (1-4) began the eighth with a 4-2 lead and gave up a leadoff single to Alec Burleson. Contreras hit the next pitch out to left-center for a two-run shot. Nolan Gorman reached on Booser's throwing error and scored the tiebreaking run with two outs when Pozo hit a line drive to left field on a full-count pitch, sending the White Sox to their seventh consecutive defeat. St. Louis has won three of four since a six-game slide. The Cardinals loaded the bases with nobody out in the first against Sean Burke but managed only Contreras' sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. Chicago tied it on shortstop Masyn Winn's throwing error in the fourth and took a 2-1 lead when Andrew Benintendi tripled and scored on Miguel Vargas' single in the fifth. Brandon Eisert replaced Burke with two on in the sixth and walked Nolan Arenado intentionally before walking Lars Nootbaar on five pitches to make it 2-all. Lenyn Sosa struck out against Steven Matz leading off the sixth but reached first base on a wild pitch. Michael A. Taylor hit his fourth homer one out later to give the White Sox a 4-2 lead. Cardinals starter Erick Fedde allowed two runs — one earned — and six hits in five innings. Andre Granillo (1-0) got the final out in the seventh for his first major league win. Phil Maton pitched a scoreless eighth and Ryan Helsley finished for his 14th save in 19 opportunities. Burke gave up two runs — one earned — and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out seven. Key moment Contreras' tying homer perhaps rattled Booser, who followed with a throwing error that allowed Gorman to reach and a wild pitch that put him in scoring position. Key stat Contreras became the first Cardinals player to hit 10 homers this season — in the team's 74th game. Up next In the makeup of Wednesday night's rainout, Cardinals RHP Michael McGreevy (1-1, 3.09 ERA) started Game 2 opposite White Sox rookie Mike Vasil (3-2, 1.99). ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cardinals vs White Sox: How to Watch and What to Watch for
Cardinals vs White Sox: How to Watch and What to Watch for originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Having won just one of their last seven games, the St. Louis Cardinals will make the trip to the South Side of Chicago for a three-game series with the White Sox. Advertisement Last week, the Cardinals were swept at home by the Blue Jays and then dropped three of four to the division rival Brewers in Milwaukee. St. Louis is now 37-35 on the year and has fallen to seven games out of first place in the NL Central. The White Sox come into this series having lost five straight. Their 23-49 record is an American League-worst, and they already find themselves 22.5 games out of first place in the AL Central. Cardinals' Iván Herrera and Alec BurlesonJeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Tuesday, June 17, 6:40 p.m. CT How to watch/listen: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM Probable starters: Cardinals: Matthew Liberatore (3-6, 4.17 ERA) Advertisement White Sox: Shane Smith (3-3, 2.37 ERA) Wednesday, June 18, 6:40 p.m. CT How to watch/listen: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM Probable starters: Cardinals: Sonny Gray (7-2, 3.84 ERA) White Sox: Sean Burke (3-7, 4.71 ERA) Thursday, June 19, 1:10 p.m. CT How to watch/listen: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM Probable starters: Cardinals: Erick Fedde (3-6, 3.65 ERA) White Sox: Adrian Houser (2-2, 2.15 ERA) What to watch for: 1. Nolan Gorman looks to stay hot After a brutal first two months at the plate, Nolan Gorman has been red-hot through the first two weeks of June. He's hitting .344 on the month with an 1.120 OPS and three homers. Gorman typically does most of his damage against right-handed pitching, and each of the White Sox scheduled starting pitchers for the series are righties. Advertisement 2. Can Matthew Liberatore return to his early-season form? It's been a rough last three outings for Matthew Liberatore. He's allowed 24 hits and 16 runs over his last 14 innings pitched. After looking like a potential all star through the first two months, he's seen his ERA skyrocket to 4.17. He'll look to get back on track against a White Sox lineup that ranks near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories. 3. Cardinals entering crucial stretch Tuesday's game is the first of a stretch where the Cardinals will play 16 games in 16 days. 10 of those games come against divisonal opponents, including a four-game series with the Cubs in St. Louis. While it's still early in the season, the Cardinals can't afford to lose much more ground in the NL Central. This upcoming stretch could also help determine whether the Cardinals will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Advertisement Related: Cardinals' Donovan off to Surprisingly Slow Start in All-Star Voting Related: Cardinals Farm Report: No. 3 Tink Hence Ramping Up Rehab After Lengthy Absence This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Blue Jays lose outfielders Clase and Straw to injury in 2 innings against Diamondbacks
Toronto Blue Jays' Myles Straw catches a fly ball for an out by St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Gorman during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane) Toronto Blue Jays' Jonatan Clase runs down a single hut by Philadelphia Phillies' Weston Wilson during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson) Toronto Blue Jays' Jonatan Clase runs down a single hut by Philadelphia Phillies' Weston Wilson during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson) Toronto Blue Jays' Myles Straw catches a fly ball for an out by St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Gorman during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane) Toronto Blue Jays' Jonatan Clase runs down a single hut by Philadelphia Phillies' Weston Wilson during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson) TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays lost center fielders Jonatan Clase and Myles Straw due to injuries within two innings Tuesday night against Arizona. Clase, who started in center, exited after being hit on the right knee by a pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning. Straw, his replacement, departed after crashing into the wall while chasing down a double in the top of the fifth. Advertisement Clase went down in pain after he was hit by a 93-mph sinker from Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt. Clase stayed in to run the bases, but the inning ended when the next batter, Bo Bichette, flied out. The Blue Jays said Clase left because of a right knee contusion. Four batters into the next inning, Straw slammed into the wall and went down while trying to catch Josh Naylor's RBI double. Naylor put his hands on his head as he looked out at Straw, his former Cleveland teammate, lying prone on the field. The Arizona slugger then walked all the way out to the wall to check on Straw. Straw eventually got to his feet and walked off the field through an outfield gate. He was replaced by rookie Alan Roden. ___ AP MLB:
