Cardinals predicted to trade for $24 million D-Backs starter

The St. Louis Cardinals were supposed to be entering a rebuild of sorts this season, but have outperformed their expectations. At 45-38, they are just a half-game back in the National League Wild Card race.

St. Louis is also just 3 1/2 back in the NL Central, so they could very well be a true contender this season.

What they will do at the trade deadline is uncertain, however. They could potentially make moves in multiple directions.

Nick Selbe of Sports Illustrated listed Arizona Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly as a trade candidate and predicted that he'll be traded to St. Louis.

"He also showed during Arizona’s 2023 World Series run that he can be counted on in the playoffs, recording a 2.25 ERA in four postseason starts. The 36-year-old could make for a sneaky-good hired arm amid one of his best seasons if the D-Backs elect to move him before he enters free agency in the winter," Selbe wrote.

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Kelly is 7-4 with a 3.49 ERA in 17 starts with the Diamondbacks this season. He can certainly be counted on to eat innings and can serve as a true No. 2 starter.

It remains to be seen if Arizona will sell this year, as they are behind many teams in the Wild Card race. But if they do, St. Louis makes sense for Kelly.

The Cardinals will have to give up some key prospects, and that is likely what most rental pitchers are going to cost this year at the trade deadline. Such was the case in 2024.

But Kelly could certainly transform the St. Louis rotation and give them a stabilizing presence with pitchers Erick Fedde, Andre Pallante and Miles Mikolas struggling as of late.

The 36-year-old isn't an ace by any stretch, but he'll be highly sought after is Arizona decides to move on from a few pieces.

We'll see how the Cardinals operate at this year's deadline.

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