The St. Louis Cardinals entered 2024 with modest expectations, tipped for a quiet rebuild after dealing away key pieces. But nearly three months in, the club has refused to cooperate with that script. Sitting at 37-29 and holding the second spot in the NL Central — plus the top wild-card slot — the Cardinals now face a dilemma: stay the course or pivot to buyer mode before the trade deadline.
According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, the front office isn’t about to ignore the standings. Speaking on Foul Territory, Rosenthal revealed that St. Louis has its sights set on upgrading one specific area.
“They traded (Brendan) Donovan (this past offseason), they traded him with two years of control because they are trying to upgrade their pitching,” Rosenthal said. “(Lars) Nootbaar could be another player who helps them upgrade their pitching.”
That second part is worth unpacking. Nootbaar — a fan favorite known for his energy and on-base skills — has surfaced in trade chatter before. Moving him might look like a rebuild signal, but context matters. The Cardinals would likely flip him not for prospects, but for immediate pitching help. That would be a buyer’s move, not a seller’s.
Pitching Needs and a Shifting Window
St. Louis hasn’t hidden its desire to bolster the rotation and bullpen. The staff has been solid but not dominant, and the front office knows that depth — especially in October — often separates contenders from pretenders. Trading a controllable bat like Nootbaar for an arm or two could address that without blowing up the roster.
The organization has options. They could hold their current pieces and see where the next six weeks take them. Or they could strike early, leveraging assets like Nootbaar before the market crystallizes. Rosenthal’s reporting suggests the latter is very much on the table.
Of course, the calculus could change. If the Cardinals slip in the standings, the front office might lean back toward selling. But for now, the team is playing meaningful baseball in June, and that carries weight.
What’s Next for St. Louis
The Cardinals are set to face the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night at 8:10 PM EST. Beyond that, every game between now and July 30 will help shape the deadline strategy. If the pitching staff keeps delivering and the lineup holds together, don’t be surprised if St. Louis adds rather than subtracts.
One thing is clear: this isn’t a typical rebuild year. The Cardinals are in the mix, and they know it.
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