The Cardinals’ trade deadline picture got a lot clearer - or at least a lot more revealing - thanks to Masyn Winn.
In a quote passed along by Cardinals beat writer Jeff Jones on X, the 24-year-old shortstop made his read on what’s coming before the deadline. “We could win every game for the rest of the year, and [Chaim Bloom] would still trade guys.”
That’s a blunt line, and it says plenty about how Winn sees the organization’s direction under Bloom as the deadline approaches. Jones added that Winn is expecting the Cardinals to sell, while his fellow young veteran leaders were more measured. He also noted that they all accept some responsibility for how things look after the deadline.
Winn has become one of the more visible voices in the clubhouse. Even with a career-worst year at the plate, he’s still been a presence at shortstop with his defense and the same lead-by-example style that has helped define him.
The bigger question now isn’t whether St. Louis will move pieces. It’s who gets dealt.
The most obvious candidates are the Cardinals’ expiring contracts, including Dustin May and Ryne Stanek, along with anyone else the front office believes can bring back a worthwhile return. But the conversation doesn’t stop there.
There’s also the possibility that St. Louis looks at players with years of control remaining, which would put Alec Burleson, Ivan Herrera, Lars Nootbaar, Kyle Leahy, and possibly Andre Pallante in the mix.
St. Louis has no shortage of trade options. The only thing left is waiting to see how aggressive Bloom and the front office decide to be.
Winn’s quote may also hint at something beyond the deadline itself. It suggests the players may already know a sell-off is coming, whether they’re on board with it or not. That kind of reality can change the mood in a clubhouse fast, especially for a young team.
And the Cardinals have looked flat since the All-Star break. They’ve dropped series to the D-Backs, Angels, and Reds, and they’re now on track to lose another against the Cubs.
The baseball has felt familiar, but not in a good way. There have been more walks, more strikeouts at the plate, fewer strikeouts from the pitching staff, and a general sense that the energy around the team has slipped.
Fans want changes in the rotation and bullpen. At the same time, writers like Bernie Miklasz have continued pointing to the lineup’s struggles over the past month-plus.
At the time of press, the Cardinals were trailing 5-0 in the second inning of game two against the Cubs. Michael McGreevy gave up two runs in the first and three more in the second, while the Cardinals were set down 1-2-3 by Cubs starter Colin Rea in the opening frame.
Whether the front office already told the players a sell-off was coming, or whether this stretch is just a coincidence, is something we may never know. But Winn’s comment leaves little doubt about what he thinks is ahead.
In Other News...
Angels Selloff Just Took A Turn Fans Were Dreading
The Brewers are opening a three-game set against an Angels club that has spent most of the season near the bottom of the standings, but the bigger backdrop here is the deadline. Los Angeles has already started moving pieces, dealing catcher Logan O'Hoppe and reliever Chase Silseth to the Rangers for prospect Angel Arredondo, a sign the selloff is underway as the calendar turns toward August.
For Milwaukee, the timing matters because the front office has its own work to do while trying to hold first place in the NL Central. Both clubs are expected to stay active in the trade market, and the Brewers have been tied to pitching help as they look to protect a division lead that can change quickly if the deadline reshapes the roster around them. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Could Finally Make The Bullpen Move Fans Have Waited For
The trade market is already starting to move ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline, and the latest ripple has only intensified the bullpen chatter around Milwaukee. With the Mets beginning a fire sale and relievers changing hands, the Brewers have been linked to one of the more attractive arms on the board, a pitcher whose season has made him one of the more intriguing names available as contenders look for late-inning help.
There is, of course, a catch, because the price for that kind of impact is never just about talent. Any team stepping in would have to weigh the prospect cost against a hefty salary commitment, which is exactly the sort of calculation that can slow a deal even when the fit makes sense on the field. For a Brewers club that has been watching the relief market closely, the question now is whether the front office decides this is the moment to pay up. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Just Made A Pitching Move That Raises Deadline Questions
The Brewers shuffled their pitching staff again by reinstating left-hander DL Hall from the 15-day injured list, a move that gives Milwaukee another arm back as it keeps sorting through the back end of the roster. To make room, the club moved left-hander Thomas Pannone off the active picture after a brief stay that included a spot start, part of the constant churn that tends to follow a team trying to stay flexible on the mound.
Pannones outing Wednesday was serviceable enough to keep the door open for more pitching decisions, but the bigger question is what this latest move says about Milwaukees thinking as the deadline approaches. The Brewers 40-man roster now sits at 38, and with Hall back in the mix, the club is still in a position where every pitching move can hint at a larger plan still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]