The trade deadline decisions for the St. Louis Cardinals should be entrusted to Chaim Bloom rather than John Mozeliak.
The St. Louis Cardinals have made a significant shift in their approach to the 2025 MLB trade deadline, signalling a move towards a long-term rebuild under the upcoming leadership of Chaim Bloom.
John Mozeliak, who has been at the helm since 2007, has taken on the role of a "seller" for the first time at the 2023 trade deadline. This move sets the stage for Bloom, who is set to take over as the president of baseball operations after the 2025 season.
During Mozeliak's tenure, he traded away veterans on expiring contracts such as Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty, and Jordan Hicks, among others. The trades made in 2023, which included Ryan Helsley and Steven Matz, have brought in promising prospects like Jesus Baez and Blaze Jordan.
These moves have been compared to the early 2000s rebuild led by Jeff Luhnow, marking a clear shift away from short-term competitiveness towards building a sustainable contender. The trades were viewed as aligning with Bloom’s anticipated strategy to reshape the roster for the future rather than pursue immediate success.
In 2024, Mozeliak made three acquisitions, including Erick Fedde, Tommy Pham, and Shawn Armstrong. In return, the Cardinals netted several prospects including Cesar Prieto, Drew Rom, Zack Showalter, Thomas Saggese, John King, Matt Svanson, and Tekoah Roby. However, each of the players that Mozeliak brought over at the 2024 deadline has been designated for assignment now.
As Bloom prepares to lead the team's baseball operations starting in 2026, he has been available for consultation regarding moves affecting the future roster for the St. Louis Cardinals. He should be in charge of trading players with expiring contracts or long-term contracts if the right deal is offered.
Moreover, players like Lars Nootbaar, Nolan Gorman, JoJo Romero, and Jordan Walker, who are "runway" players this year, could be moved if Bloom sees fit and wants to fill holes elsewhere on the roster. The Cardinals' 2025 trade deadline decisions should be made by Chaim Bloom, not John Mozeliak.
The recent departure of Erick Fedde, who was acquired by Mozeliak from the Chicago White Sox in 2024, highlights the changing of the guard. As the Cardinals become sellers at the 2025 MLB trade deadline, they are positioning themselves for a fresh start under Bloom's leadership.
Injuries have been a challenge for some players, with Roby unable to shake the injury bug. Despite this, the promising young players among the prospects acquired in 2023, such as Tekoah Roby and Thomas Saggese, offer a glimmer of hope for the future.
As the 2025 trade deadline approaches, Cardinals fans eagerly await the moves that Chaim Bloom will make, as he shapes the team's roster for the long term.
Baseball analysts are speculating that Chaim Bloom's strategy, when he assumes leadership of the Cardinals' baseball operations in 2026, will involve trading certain players to reshape the roster for the future, following the team's sales of veterans on expiring contracts and the recent departure of Erick Fedde. The St. Louis Cardinals' moves at the 2025 MLB trade deadline, which Bloom will oversee, could significantly impact the team's long-term competitiveness in MLB.
