The St. Louis Cardinals face a critical decision as the MLB trade deadline approaches. Positioned near the playoff race, they could either bolster their roster for a postseason push or offload expiring contracts and focus on rebuilding for the future.
If they choose to be buyers, starting pitching is a clear area of need. Nicholas Selbe of Sports Illustrated has suggested a surprising trade target: Arizona Diamondbacks veteran Merrill Kelly.
Kelly, though never an All-Star or Cy Young candidate, has been one of the league’s most dependable starters since returning from Korea’s KBO League in 2019. His 3.78 ERA over that period ranks 14th among pitchers with at least 800 innings—higher than more well-known names like Dylan Cease and Aaron Nola. During Arizona’s 2023 World Series run, Kelly proved he could handle the pressure, posting a 2.25 ERA in four postseason starts.
At 36 years old, Kelly is having one of his best seasons and could be a valuable short-term addition if Arizona decides to trade him before he becomes a free agent this offseason. However, the potential downside for St. Louis is that Kelly’s contract expires at the end of the year. Acquiring him would leave the Cardinals with three starting pitchers—Kelly, Erick Fedde, and Miles Mikolas—all headed to free agency after the season.
To land Kelly, St. Louis would likely have to part with valuable prospects. Considering their current roster is not quite ready to compete for a championship, the move might not be worth the cost. Instead, the Cardinals would be better served pursuing players with long-term control rather than short-term rentals.
