Trade agreement favorable for the Cardinals aligns perfectly with John Mozeliak's approach at the deadline
Let's Talk Trade Deadline with the Cardinals
June is here, and you know what that means—trade deadline fantasies are back in play! The St. Louis Cardinals have been setting the MLB on fire with their performance in May, making them potential buyers at this year's trade deadline. John Mozeliak, the team's president of baseball operations, has hinted at this possibility.
But don't expect Mozeliak to dive headfirst into big trades that jeopardize top prospects for major-league level stars. Instead, he'll likely face the deadlines with indulgent moves that preserve the farm system. However, some top prospects might just find themselves on the move, albeit not the high-profile ones like Quinn Mathews, JJ Wetherholt, Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby, or Rainiel Rodriguez.
Mozeliak will have to think outside the box to make these trades work. Trading major leaguers for contributions elsewhere is the most viable route for the trade deadline this year. Let's take a look at some past trades for context.
At the 2021 trade deadline, the Cardinals were scouring for veteran starting pitchers. This led to two trades: one for 38-year-old J.A. Happ and another for Jon Lester, who was 37 at the time. To obtain these pitchers, John Mozeliak parted ways with youngsters like John Gant and Lane Thomas.
Gant had thrown nearly 300 innings for the Cardinals as both a starter and a reliever, boasting a respectable 3.52 ERA and averaging 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Despite being a known commodity, Mozeliak viewed greater value in a veteran like J.A. Happ.
Lane Thomas was less experienced than Gant, but he still logged 142 plate appearances across parts of three seasons with the Cardinals with a less-than-impressive .172/.289/.336 slash line. Neither Gant nor Thomas were known for extraordinary prospects. However, their trades netted the Cardinals valuable veteran experience down the stretch of the 2021 season.
Mozeliak could make trades similar to these—trading away a young player without a stellar track record for a veteran—during his final trade deadline.
Mo might consider making a trade like the one involving Erick Fedde and Tommy Edman last year. The Cardinals have several logjams on the position side of the game, so they could exchange a position player for a gifted starting pitcher.
But here's a third type of trade that could work well for the Cardinals.Nolan Gorman of the Cardinals and Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels could both benefit from a change of scenery.
Reid Detmers, once a former top-100 prospect, is only 25 years old. In 2025, he's pitched in 24 games with a 5.60 ERA. While his ERA isn't fantastic, he hasn't allowed a run in his last nine games dating back to May 20th. Los Angeles has even been employing Detmers as its closer recently, tallying three saves in this period.
Virtually all of Detmers' career has been spent as a starting pitcher. The southpaw has a career 4.95 ERA, but he strikes out an average of 9.8 batters per nine innings. Detmers' transition to the bullpen further enhances his utility for the Cardinals. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com even cited Detmers as a good "change-of-scenery" trade candidate.
The Cardinals have their own player, infielder Nolan Gorman, who could also use a change of scenery.
Gorman was the center of attention all offseason as a player who would amass 500 at-bats to prove his worth. We're well over a third of the way through the season, and Gorman is on pace for less than 300 at-bats. He's fallen behind other players on the roster, and time is running out for him to secure playing time.
Gorman is slashing .210/.299/.350 this season with two home runs and a wRC+ of 82. He's managed to reduce his strikeout rate to 29.1% and increase his walk rate to 12%. However, his .140 ISO indicates that he's sacrificed some of his natural power for more walks.
The Cardinals have been racking up the interest in Steven Matz due to his recent success as a swingman. If the Cardinals are still in contention by that time, they'll need to backfill his role. They can do this internally with Gordon Graceffo, but they might also search for reinforcements elsewhere.
Detmers fits the bill.
He's a former starting pitcher, he's left-handed, and he has found his niche in relief this year. In exchange, the Cardinals could send Nolan Gorman to the Angels.
Right now, Los Angeles is playing veteran Chris Taylor at second base. Taylor was designated for assignment by the Dodgers in mid-May, so he could be replaced by Gorman. Gorman's presence would provide a balance to the Angels' lineup, which features seven right-handed hitters.
Both Gorman and Detmers will be free agents after the 2028 season, so the team control aspect is worth considering.
On paper, the Cardinals and Angels appear to be a good match for a trade this summer. Both Reid Detmers and Nolan Gorman could utilize a change of scenery and contribute significantly to each team strategically in 2025 and beyond.
The Cardinals, having a strong MLB performance in May, might consider trades to strengthen their team, with potential moves involving younger players like Nolan Gorman. Reid Detmers, a left-handed pitcher from the Angels, could be a suitable trade candidate, offering utility as a reliever and serving as a potential change of scenery for both players.
