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Which starting pitchers might the Cardinals look to acquire before trade deadline?

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ST. LOUIS – Less than a week away from MLB’s trade deadline, the St. Louis Cardinals are likely to explore the market for starting pitching.

A fresh arm could be a big boost for a Cardinals squad as a whole that hasn’t sustained much momentum in July. St. Louis only holds a Wild Card spot by mere percentage points as competition grows for the National League postseason pool.

The need for at least one more starting pitcher remains clear. The Cardinals’ de facto fifth starter for the last several months, Andre Pallante, has fared well with increased opportunities (3.42 ERA as starter), but it’s hard to tell how long he can sustain his recent stretch of durability and effectiveness.

Meanwhile, it appears the veteran-heavy rotation is also dealing with some combination of fatigue and ineffectiveness. The four regulars, Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson and Miles Mikolas, have pitched to the tune of a 4.72 ERA since May 29, and they aren’t reaching the standard six or seven innings quite as often compared to earlier in the year.

The main point? Adding another MLB-ready starting pitcher or two could help the Cardinals cover more innings, allowing extra rest for a Cardinals rotation and bullpen that have both been taxed at times this season and perhaps getting stronger returns out of the pitching staff as a whole.

Which starting pitchers might the Cardinals look to acquire? They haven’t truly struck many deadline blockbusters, so chances are it will be a lower-risk option rather than a big name.

Here are a look at some potential possibilities…

Very possible

Among the five pitchers listed, various reports have emerged suggesting that the Cardinals may pursue someone within this group.

Fedde and Eflin seem to have the most momentum as possible future Cardinals, according to reports from MLB analysts Jim Bowden, Bob Nightengale and John Denton.

Fedde, 31, is building a career year with a Chicago White Sox team that leads MLB in losses and is in a clear position to sell whatever makes sense. Fedde is 7-3 with a 2.98 ERA and his 117.2 innings pitched are currently better than every St. Louis starter besides Miles Mikolas.

Fedde previously spent six seasons with the Washington Nationals as an average starting pitcher at best, though reestablished himself after taking a one-year break last year to pitch overseas in the KBO. He is in the first season of a two-year, $15 million contract, which makes him an inexpensive option that the Cardinals have largely desired in past seasons.

Eflin, 30, is midway through his ninth MLB season and his second with the Tampa Bay Rays. His best season arguably came last year, leading the American League with 16 wins and posting a 3.50 ERA over 177.2 innings.

Eflin has pitched closer to league averages this year and is generally considered a pitch-to-contact hurler, though his profile could work well behind defensive stalwarts like Michael Siani and Masyn Winn. Efin is in the second season of a three-year, $36 million contract, again making him a relatively inexpensive option with an additional year before free agency.

Eovaldi, 34, is probably the most decorated name in this list. A two-time World Series champion, Eovaldi has earned a reputation for performing well in high-pressure situations. He has a strong arsenal of pitches behind his signature fastball and has improved his command deeper into his MLB career.

While there seems to be some interest in Eovaldi, according to Denton, acquiring him could be tricky. For one, the Rangers have gained some ground in the AL West standings of recent, only two games below .500 after a rough start. Eovaldi also has a vesting option for the 2025 season in his current contract and could become a free agent if he doesn’t get to 156 total innings this year. Those two conditions alone may make it tough for him to move unless Texas suffers some serious setbacks over the next few days.

Quantrill and Kikuchi are likely on the back end of pitchers who the Cardinals may seemingly target, according to Bowden.

Quantrill, 29, is having a solid bounce back season (7 wins, 4.09 ERA) in a tough pitcher’s environment in Colorado after a tough 2023 campaign with the Cleveland Guardians. The Cardinals could have club control for another two seasons in the event of a trade, though he is also an arbitration candidate at the season’s end.

Kikichi, 33, profiles as more of a league-average pitcher, though the pending free agent has proven durable over the last three seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. A deal for Quantrill or Kikuchi might not take a major prospect haul, if St. Louis values that come deadline.

Not likely, but intriguing

These four possibilities are a little more far-fetched. It appears all four could be on the trade block, according to MLB.com and various national reports, but the Cardinals haven’t necessarily been connected to talks around any of these big names.

It would be a little different than the Cardinals have operated around recent trade deadlines too as the higher-quality arms would inevitably require some combination of several MLB-ready players or prospects.

Oddly enough, the Cardinals just dealt Flaherty at the last trade deadline to the Baltimore Orioles. He had a rough go there, so he signed a one-year “prove it” deal with the Detroit Tigers in the offseason. To his credit, it’s worked out well for him, with 7 wins and a 2.95 ERA over 100-plus innings. For Detroit, their window to break out of a lengthy rebuild hasn’t fully opened yet, and competition for postseason is stiff, the main reason Flaherty could become available.

Flaherty would fill a lot of gaps as to what the Cardinals need in a starting pitcher performance wise, but how he would fit into clubhouse culture after some apparent challenges last year might prevent St. Louis from a reunion.

His teammate, Tarik Skubal, is putting together one of the best seasons among MLB pitchers this year with 11 victories, a 2.34 ERA and 146 strikeouts over 123 innings. Skubal is only 27 and could have three more years of control. Detroit, however, would likely only trade him for a package of highly-touted prospects or young players, which the Cardinals might be lacking compared to contenders like the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres.

Almost the same could be said on Garrett Crochet. He is 25 years old with several years of team control and one of baseball’s best strikeout pitchers. The White Sox are more obvious sellers than Detroit, but parting with Crochet would likely take a combination of players similar to Skubal.

One other name that makes some sense, but still appears to be a long shot, is Max Scherzer. The three-time Cy Young winner and two-time World Series champion from suburban St. Louis will be a free agent at the season’s end.

Scherzer, 39, might be nearing retirement and has missed most of the 2024 season to injury. He’s made six starts since June, and while he’s been around league averages, he historically has pitched much better. He also dealt with some apparent arm fatigue last weekend in a matchup against a tough Baltimore Orioles team.

Acquiring Scherzer might not mean a blockbuster as big as Skubal, Crochet or maybe even Flaherty, but his health and dominance of the past is not fully guaranteed. Plus, if Texas can find strong form in days before the deadline they may choose to hold onto him for one more run anyways.

On deck

The 2024 MLB trade deadline, the last possible moment to complete all midseason MLB trades, is set for 5 p.m. CT on Tuesday, July 30.

The Cardinals (52-49) return home to host the Washington Nationals and Texas Rangers ahead of the trade deadline.