The Cardinals’ recent slide has pushed them into a tough spot, and that makes the idea of chasing Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan look like a stretch.
St. Louis entered Wednesday’s series finale against the Los Angeles Angels on a four-game losing streak, and that skid cost them their grip on the third National League wild card position. The problems are piling up in every direction: the lineup isn’t producing, the starters aren’t working deep enough, and the bullpen is getting worn down without much support behind it.
That’s why the ESPN mention of the Cardinals as a possible landing place for Ryan feels so far removed from their current reality. Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel included St. Louis in a list of potential fits, but the fit doesn’t really line up with where the club stands right now.
Ryan has put together a solid season for Minnesota, posting a 6-6 record with a 3.38 ERA in 21 starts. He also has one more year of team control after 2026, which only raises the price.
And that’s the issue for St. Louis.
The Cardinals are not in a place where they should be moving top prospects for a pitcher like Ryan, no matter how much he could help the rotation. Their bigger job is still building something sustainable for the long haul, not making an aggressive move that drains the system.
Minnesota’s situation matters here too. The Twins are four games under .500, but they’re only 3 1/2 games behind the Boston Red Sox for the third American League wild card spot. In a weak American League, that puts them in a position where they’re more likely to buy than sell.
That leaves the Cardinals and Twins headed in different directions. St.
Louis looks more like a team that should be selling, not pushing chips in. If the Twins do fall back in the wild card race, they’d be in a better position to move Ryan - but even then, the Cardinals probably wouldn’t be the club willing to pay the steep asking price for two years of control.
With less than two weeks left before the deadline, the Cardinals have a decision to make. But based on where they stand now, buying does not look like the smartest path.
In Other News...
Cardinals Deadline Picture Just Turned Into A Bullpen Gut Check
With the trade deadline closing in, the Cardinals are sorting through a bullpen market that could force some uncomfortable choices. The club has a few relievers who would draw interest from other teams, and the front office is weighing value against the need to keep the current group intact for a stretch run. It is the kind of deadline setup that leaves little room for sentiment, especially when the roster has to be judged against both present needs and what the market might return.
Riley O'Brien and JoJo Romero sit near the center of that conversation, while the rest of the picture is less dramatic but still important. St. Louis also appears inclined to ride with Dustin May, Ryne Stanek and Lars Nootbaar despite uneven stretches, which suggests the Cardinals are trying to balance short-term stability with longer-term roster planning. The final call is still unresolved, and for a team trying to navigate both its bullpen and its bigger deadline picture, that uncertainty may be the story. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Just Sent A Strong Message About Top Pick Rocco Maniscalco
The Cardinals have locked in one of the more intriguing names from their latest draft class, agreeing to terms with 17-year-old shortstop Rocco Maniscalco after taking him No. 50 overall in the 2026 MLB Draft. St. Louis went well above the slot value with a $3.2 million signing bonus, a clear sign the organization wanted to make sure the young infielders path led straight to pro ball rather than somewhere else.
Maniscalco had been committed to Mississippi State, so the Cardinals were not just buying talent, they were beating back a possible college route for a player they clearly view as a priority. The bonus and the age alone tell part of the story, but there is also a reason the club pushed so hard to get him signed now, and it starts with what he can already bring to the field. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Fans Wont Like Whos Suddenly Being Linked To Seiya Suzuki
The Cardinals recent slide has only sharpened the focus on where they stand in the NL Wild Card race, and it has also made an ESPN trade idea stand out a little more than usual. Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel listed St. Louis among the possible landing spots for Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki, a name that would immediately raise eyebrows given the way the two clubs are lined up in the standings and the fact that any move involving Chicagos outfield would carry real division intrigue.
Still, the fit looks more like a curiosity than a true front-office target. St. Louis already has Jordan Walker, Nathan Church and Lars Nootbaar in the outfield mix, with Joshua Bez next in line for depth, and the organization has not shown much appetite for short-term shortcuts this summer. With Chaim Bloom signaling a patient approach, the idea of the Cardinals and Cubs doing business on a player like Suzuki feels like the kind of rumor that gets attention without necessarily getting much traction. [Read more 🡒]