The St. Louis Cardinals began the season with many expecting them to be sellers at the trade deadline, undergoing a modest rebuild. Despite their current performance, with the team still above .500, rival clubs are keeping an eye on starters Sonny Gray and Miles Mikolas.
However, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, both pitchers are unlikely to be traded this summer. Although both have drawn significant interest, Mikolas and Gray have no-trade clauses and reportedly have no interest in waiving them.
Sonny Gray, 35, continues to perform well for the Cardinals. In the past two seasons, his ERA stands at 3.80, and his WHIP is a solid 1.12. Over 251 innings pitched with St. Louis, he’s held opponents to a .239/.284/.403 line. Gray is under contract for \$25 million in 2025 and \$35 million in 2026, with the Cardinals holding a \$30 million option for 2027 that comes with a \$9 million buyout.
On the other hand, Mikolas, 36, seemed more likely to be traded since he’s in a contract year. While he has a 4.93 ERA over 445.1 innings since the start of 2023, he has been better of late. In his last 12 starts, Mikolas posted a 3.50 ERA over 64.1 innings pitched.
The Cardinals plan to keep both starters, along with third baseman Nolan Arenado, as they fight for the final National League wild card spot. As of Sunday, St. Louis is on a five-game winning streak, competing with the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padresfor the spot.