The Cardinals have gone from surprise story to a team that has to think seriously about the trade deadline, and one of the clearest needs is staring them right in the face: the starting rotation.
That’s the read from The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, who said St. Louis believes pitching is the biggest hole on the roster.
"The Cardinals have been the NL’s biggest surprise, and they believe that their biggest need is a starting pitcher," Bowden wrote.
Bowden also laid out the most realistic names for St. Louis if the club wants to add without dealing away its very top prospects. The two targets he pointed to were a reunion with Sonny Gray or a move for Robbie Ray.
"Without giving up any of their very top prospects, their most realistic trade targets are a reunion with Sonny Gray or acquiring Robbie Ray," Bowden added.
If cost is the deciding factor, Ray may be the easier path. The left-hander, who is with the San Francisco Giants, is viewed as a less expensive trade piece than Gray, and his numbers help explain why he’d fit into a rotation in need of another arm. Ray has a 3.45 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 101.2 innings, and Bowden suggested he could slide in as a No. 2 option behind Dustin May.
Bowden even floated a possible return package that could land Ray in St. Louis.
"Perhaps a package that includes right-hander Tanner Franklin and shortstop Yairo Padilla could get a deal done," Bowden added about a potential deal that could get Ray to St. Louis.
Franklin is ranked as the Cardinals' No. 9 prospect on MLB Pipeline, while Padilla sits at No. 15.
Gray still remains in the conversation, but Bowden’s reporting makes the hierarchy pretty clear: if St. Louis wants the more affordable option, Ray looks like the cleaner fit.
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