The St. Louis Cardinals are off to a rough start in 2025. They own a 14-18 record and sit in fourth place in the National League Central, five games out of first place.
The team has performed well at home, but has yet to win a series on the road, which has soured their record to this point.
2025 was meant to be more of a transitional season for St. Louis as opposed to one in which they would try to put their best foot forward towards contention, which they haven't exactly done the past several years anyway.
The trade deadline is July 31, and the Cardinals likely won't make any flashy moves to bolster their roster. Team insider Jeff Jones predicts that the team will be sellers this summer.
"To be sure, the deadline will still matter. Ryan Helsley's upcoming trade is a fait accompli. Fedde is not too far off from the same inevitability; neither is Phil Maton, the team's sole major league free agent signing this winter," Jones wrote.
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"In much the same way the prior offseason's moves turned over the front office's cards for the 2024 team, the same will hold true in 2025. This is a team that was designed to sell at the deadline, and so they will."
Selling makes the most sense for the Cardinals at the trade deadline. All three pitchers Jones listed are free agents at the end of the year, so it would make sense for St. Louis to dump players on expiring contracts to capitalize on their value before they hit free agency.
Helsley especially makes sense to trade. He is the reigning National League Reliever of the Year after setting a franchise record with 49 saves in 2024.
Beyond those three, Steven Matz is a free agent at the end of the year and is performing well in a swingman role, and trades of Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray aren't out of the realm of possibility.
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