The St. Louis Cardinals failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season under manager Oliver Marmol. Now, the front management must ensure that a roster that has already won 83 games does not fall behind. Ideally, the Cards will make significant strides forward.
However, the Cardinals’ roster is likely to be very different by the 2025 MLB season. This summer could potentially see moves involving numerous All-Stars.
St. Louis Cardinals could trade Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras and/or Ryan Helsley
The St. Louis Cardinals have a quality roster, but for some reason, they struggled to bring it all together in 2024. Without some dumb luck, such as signing Juan Soto, Roki Sasaki, Corbin Burnes, or a huge hitter capable of helping the Cards score more runs than they allow, St. Louis may have to take a small step back before moving forward.
With the Cardinals attempting to reduce their payroll, one possible scenario involves deals for numerous prominent players. According to MLB source William Fleitch, four players who could be traded by the Cardinals include new first baseman Willson Contreras, third baseman Nolan Arenado, and pitchers Sonny Gray and Ryan Helsley.
Fleitch went on to mention more players, including Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, and MLB saves leader Ryan Helsley. Each is an MLB All-Star and would likely command a substantial trade market if they become available.
The question is: How eager are the Cardinals to reduce payroll? Would they commit to a near-complete firesale, removing some of the team’s most popular players from St. Louis? It only takes one irresistible offer.
