Potential candidates for St. Louis Cardinals' latest trade deadline requirements
In the midst of their ongoing season, the St. Louis Cardinals find themselves grappling with a familiar challenge - their struggles against left-handed pitching. Despite the impressive performance of designated hitter/catcher Ivan Herrera, who boasts a team-leading .733 slugging percentage and five homers against lefties, the Cardinals are still experiencing difficulties in this area.
The Cardinals have amassed the most plate appearances against left-handed pitchers in Major League Baseball, yet rank in the bottom half of all baseball in batting average, WRC+, slugging percentage, and strikeout rate against lefties. This trend is particularly evident among their left-handed batters, who are hitting just .203 with a 71 WRC+ against same-handed pitchers.
As the trade deadline approaches (July 31), the Cardinals are considering potential moves that could bolster their offense or pitching depth against lefties. John Mozeliak, the outgoing President of Baseball Operations for the Cardinals, has discussed the team's current season and playoff push, as well as the need to focus on the future.
One strategy the Cardinals could pursue is targeting left-handed hitting offence. The addition of a proven left-handed hitter or versatile batter who excels against lefties could help balance the lineup. However, recent draft picks such as first baseman Jack Gurevitch, while showing promise, may require development time before they can contribute at the MLB level.
On the pitching side, acquiring a left-handed relief specialist or situational lefty could help neutralize opposing left-handed batters. The Cardinals currently have pitching depth issues due to injuries in the minors, and some young right-handers like Erick Fedde and Michael McGreevy are being evaluated for rotation spots, although their impact on handling lefties is uncertain.
Given the injury concerns in their pitching ranks and offensive struggles versus lefties, management may prioritize adding MLB-ready players with reverse splits (better versus left-handed pitching) either in their lineup or bullpen roles. Potential targets to explore in trade talks would be veteran lefty hitters with a track record of success against left-handed pitchers or left-handed relievers known for effective platoon matchups.
The Cardinals' logjam of left-handed hitters is another issue they need to address. Jimmy Crooks, Cesar Prieto, Matt Koperniak, Nathan Church, and Michael Siani, along with JJ Wetherholt and Luken Baker, make up the team's better left-handed bats. If Luken Baker is called up again, he would be a strict DH option and would most likely only face left-handed starters.
John Mozeliak has yet to mention any specific strategy for solving the Cardinals' struggles against lefties, but he has noted that the team needs to find more firepower beyond Herrera, Nolan Arenado, and Yadier Molina. The Cardinals' approach to the trade deadline remains uncertain, but it is clear that addressing their difficulties against left-handed pitchers will be a key focus.
- The Cardinals, despite having the most plate appearances against left-handed pitchers in Major League Baseball, are still struggling against lefties, ranking in the bottom half in batting average, WRC+, slugging percentage, and strikeout rate.
- Given their ongoing difficulties against left-handed pitching and injury concerns in their pitching ranks, the Cardinals may prioritize adding MLB-ready players with reverse splits, focusing on veterans with a track record of success against left-handed pitchers or left-handed relievers known for effective platoon matchups.
