Cardinals linked to 8.7 WAR All-Star outfielder

The St. Louis Cardinals have had their fair share of injuries and disappointment from their outfielders in recent years. In 2025, especially, the outfield in St. Louis has been lackluster. While there are plenty of talented players capable of making an impact, none have emerged as stars in the league.

To address such an issue, Thomas Gauvain of Redbird Rants linked Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran to the Cardinals in a trade. He'd be a nice get, and this move would open the door to move on from some of their disappointing sluggers in the outfield.

"Duran still has three more years of team control after this year." Gauvain writes. "The Cardinals would have to include a hefty package of prospects to land Duran, but their top two prospects would be an overpay."

While a trade package for Duran would be difficult to work with, former Red Sox general manager Chaim Bloom could use Gauvain's idea of offering Jordan Walker as part of the deal. Walker hasn't been great for the Cardinals, but the Red Sox could see him as a reclemation project, and take a chance on him turning into the player many thought he could be.

Part of why the Cardinals could use an outfielder like Duran is due to the lack of development from Walker. He's not the only outfielder to disappoint, however. Lars Nootbaar is batting .230 with 11 home runs, but had a very tough beginning of June. 

Alex Burleson, who is hitting .298 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs, has been good for the Cardinals this year. Victor Scott II is a good defender, but is hitting .239 with three home runs and 24 RBIs.

Outside of those three outfielders, the Cardinals don't have much. Adding a player like Duran would round out the outfield, while also providing flexibility with their lineups. He's also struggled this season lately, so Duran might not cost as much as he would have if he were on pace for his 8.7 WAR season from a year ago.

Gauvain is linking Duran to the Cardinals, partially due to Bloom's Boston connections. It's a reasonable link, and with the team in need of more offensive firepower, someone like Duran would be a good addition, regardless of how the roster is constructed.