The St. Louis Cardinals continue to face inconsistency within their starting rotation, and there’s little immediate help in sight. Aside from rookie Michael McGreevy, the organization lacks another MLB-ready pitcher to replace struggling starters like Miles Mikolas and Erick Fedde.
Despite their rotation woes, the Cardinals remain firmly in the playoff race. However, to convince ownership to make moves at the trade deadline, they’ll need a strong run leading into the All-Star break. Currently just a few games back in the Wild Card standings, a solid stretch in mid-July could push president of baseball operations John Mozeliak to bolster the roster—even if the team lacks marquee talent. While the front office seems unlikely to make a splash at the deadline, that hasn’t stopped fans and analysts from speculating about potential upgrades. In fact, ESPN insider Jeff Passan recently proposed one such fit in a column.
Passan linked Rays starter Taj Bradley to the Cardinals.
As part of an article identifying ideal trade targets for each of the 16 MLB teams with a winning record, Passan prioritized pitching as the Cardinals’ most urgent need—despite their struggles against left-handed pitching. He selected the Tampa Bay Rays, a familiar trade partner for St. Louis, as a logical source of pitching help, even though the Rays themselves are contending for a Wild Card spot.
Passan’s suggested target is 24-year-old right-hander Taj Bradley, a former top prospect enjoying another solid season. Though Bradley holds a 5-6 record with a 4.79 ERA, underlying analytics suggest he’s been a bit unlucky, with expected metrics placing his performance closer to a mid-3 ERA. One area of concern has been a dip in his strikeout rate, despite maintaining a strong 96 mph fastball and solid secondary pitches.
Interestingly, Bradley has reduced his usage of the splitter—once one of his best pitches—in favor of a heavier reliance on his curveball, which has delivered strong results. Opponents are batting just .091 against the pitch this year, a major improvement over last season’s .483 slugging against it.
While acquiring Bradley would likely come at a steep price, the Rays may be open to moving him due to the depth and performance of their current rotation. Though it would be somewhat unusual to trade a cost-controlled pitcher—Bradley isn’t arbitration-eligible until 2027 and won’t hit free agency until 2030—the long-term control would be attractive to any acquiring club. For the Cardinals, that’s especially appealing with Fedde, Mikolas, and Steven Matz all potentially on the way out by season’s end. Beyond McGreevy, pitching prospects Quinn Mathews and Tekoah Roby have struggled with consistency and injuries, adding to the need.
Although Bradley may be an ambitious target, Passan’s reasoning for linking him to St. Louis is sound. He also noted the Cardinals’ depth at catcher as a potential trade asset in any such deal.