There are just 43 days until the Major League Baseball trade deadline and plenty of teams remain in the hunt for October.
The Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Milwaukee Brewers all sit comfortable in their divisions with leads of 6.5 or more games ahead.
A Wild Card mix of the Atlanta Braves (+4 G), St. Louis Cardinals (+.5 G), and Washington Nationals/San Diego Padres (tied for third), shapes out the rest of the playoff hopefuls. With the National League so wide open, there are several teams who will have to make the decision to buy or sell.
While a majority of NL teams are below the .500 mark, every team not named the Colorado Rockies are within 2 games of the final Wild Card slot. With over a month to go before the Trade Deadline of July 30th, there are two teams that I believe should go all in. These clubs are lacking in one area or another but pocess what I feel as though could push them across the finish line.
St. Louis Cardinals
A franchise rooted in success, the St. Louis Cardinals have been unlike themselves over the past couple of seasons.
Currently in the playoff mix, the 35-35 Cardinals are second in the National League Central to the Milwaukee Brewers. Led by Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt, you would expect the pieces are in play for St. Louis to make a playoff push.
However, it is those two players who need to get going if the Cardinals want to make the post-season. Arenado and Goldschmidt are both hitting under a .700 OPS rate and have combined for just 14 homeruns this season. They are the oldest players on what has become a very young Cardinals’ club.
If you are St. Louis, you have to bank on those two players turning things around this season. Without them, the team is likely to continue playing at this .500 pace. But if the Cardinals decide to make a move, they could push themselves over this threshold and into the post-season.
A starting pitcher and every day bat could do wonders for this club. An arm like Chicago’s Garrett Crochet (6-5, 3.16 ERA) or Colorado’s Cal Quantrill (6-4, 3.30 ERA) would help boster a rotation that features Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson.
Pairing Goldschmidt, Arenado, and young talents like Nolan Gorman with another bat could do wonders for St. Louis. Bringing home former prospect Randy Arozarena could be the spark that team is looking for.
Either way, the Cardinals are right in the thick of the playoff race. Their cornerstone pieces are getting older and might only have one more run left in them. This could be the year to make a couple moves and go all in.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Look out for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
A young ballclub that features what could be a top 5 starting rotation in baseball, the Pirates are the one team that should go all-in at this year’s trade deadline. Currently sitting with a 34-37 record, I believe that Pittsburgh should pursue some offensive additons to bolser thier starting lineup.
Pittsburgh has a rotation of Mitch Keller (8-4, 3.36 ERA), Jared Jones (4-6, 3.76 ERA), Bailey Falter (3-4, 3.86 ERA) and of course Paul Skenes (3-0, 2.43 ERA). These four pitchers could dominate a best of three series in the opening round of the playoffs. We have seen the underdog win many matchups since the expansion of the playoffs in the 2022 season, including the Phillies and Diamondbacks, who have reached the World Series from the Wild Card.
The Pirates lack in offense, which is much of the reason that they are below .500 at this point in the season. Pittsburgh has the third lowest WAR amongst offensive players in Major League Baseball. Just the Miami Marlins and Chicago White Sox sit beneath them in the rankings.
One big name player wouldn’t turn the offense around for the Pirates but it would certainly be a much needed spark. Pittsburgh could get involved in deals on players who have expiring contracts. Pete Alonso of the Mets, Elias Diaz of the Rockies, and Josh Bell of the Marlins are all options.
If the Pirates chose to add a couple bats to their lineup, it could push them past over clubs who might stand pat. Their pitching should be strong assuming their starters can stay healthy. Giving a young team playoff experience is a valuable accomplishment and with veterans like Andrew McCutchen in their clubhouse, the sky is the limit for these young Buccos.
Photo Credit: Joshua Peacock
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