The St. Louis Cardinals missed the playoffs again in 2024, marking their second consecutive postseason absence and fifth in the past nine years. With a shift in strategy, the team hired Chaim Bloom to overhaul their development system. Pitcher Sonny Gray, who had a strong season, is considered a trade candidate, although he hopes to stay with the team. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch gathered insights from sources about the situation.
According to Gray, he has expressed a preference to remain with the Cardinals, citing the same factors that attracted him to the team when he signed a three-year, $75 million contract a year ago. The veteran right-hander is also interested in seeing how the team’s “reset” and commitment to younger players unfolds.
As the Cardinals look ahead to 2025, they need reliable pitchers to log innings. While the team may not be on a fast track to contention, they still need arms to cover 27 outs for 162 games. Gray, who contributed 150 innings last season, could be a key piece in helping them get through the year. However, the Cardinals have other players who may be more valuable trade targets than Gray.
With the team’s aging 2024 roster, the question remains: who else besides Gray could the Cardinals trade to strengthen their prospect pool?
Cardinals can be big sellers this offseason
Derrick Goold also mentioned Nolan Arenado as a possible trade candidate for the St. Louis Cardinals. Though slightly past his prime, Arenado remains one of the best defensive third basemen in the league and has three years left on a contract with a complex financial situation that still involves the Rockies. A trade for Arenado would likely bring a much larger return than a deal for Sonny Gray this offseason.
As the Cardinals look to jumpstart their rebuild, they could be in a strong position to trade this offseason. While the Blue Jays were expected to sell, they are now pursuing Juan Soto, and if Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette stay in Toronto, Arenado could become the biggest trade target of the offseason, further increasing the value the Cardinals could receive for the veteran.
On the pitching side, the Cardinals have better trade options than Gray. Miles Mikolas, Steven Matz, and Erick Fedde will all be unrestricted free agents after this season. While this could lower their trade value somewhat, it’s likely that at least one of them will be dealt at the deadline, making them more likely candidates for trade than Gray.
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