Cardinals squandered an opportunity to showcase their ‘superb’ trade acquisition

Dylan Carlson, an outfielder, hasn’t seen much playing time, and the Cardinals may have squandered an opportunity to showcase him.
Dylan Carlson has basically become a throwaway asset for the St. Louis Cardinals. Carlson, who was once compared to Albert Pujols and Oscar Taveras, hasn’t quite lived up to expectations for St. Louis, and after a great rookie season in 2021, the young outfielder has taken several steps back and eventually lost his starting spot.

Furthermore, players like Michael Siani and Alec Burleson have developed, and with Brendan Donovan and Tommy Edman, all of whom are incredibly versatile and can play in the outfield, Carlson is pushed out. However, the Cardinals may have waited a little too long to showcase him, and if traded, he will not command a high price.

Cardinals backed themselves into a corner with Dylan Carlson

To be fair, the Cardinals have struggled to find playing time for Carlson. He was on track to become the team’s starting center fielder by the conclusion of spring training until hurting his shoulder and missing more than a month. However, the Cardinals may have found a trade partner for him before this season.

Perhaps they could have dealt Carlson during the offseason for pitchers. The Cardinals were also sellers at the trade deadline last year and might have taken advantage of his value at the time. However, they passed up an opportunity to acquire a good return for the talented outfielder.

A change of location could be beneficial to Carlson. Perhaps a place where he can get consistent playing time will help him mature into the player he was destined to be. However, the Cardinals face the danger of moving another outfielder and seeing him rediscover his groove with another team. Recent examples are Randy Arozarena, Adolis Garcia, Lane Thomas, and Tyler O’Neill.

The last thing they need is for that to happen again, especially because they will not receive a haul in exchange for Carlson. However, Carlson has virtually worn out his welcome in St. Louis, and with stronger options emerging, he has become a throwaway asset. It’s possible that a team out of contention will express interest in him and give him a chance.