If Cardinals become sellers, who are their best trade chips?

This story was excerpted from Will Leitch's Cardinals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Anyone looking for answers about which direction the Cardinals will turn at Monday’s Trade Deadline may have gotten them with the Cardinals’ play coming out of the All-Star break.

Of course, the front office has been clearly signaling for months now that the team would focus on the future. But if the players had an opportunity to make a case for shifting that focus, they haven’t taken it. Just like the 2025 team that went 4-9 between the break and the Deadline, this group was 3-8 entering Tuesday night’s game against the Cubs, including 1-4 on its current homestand.

So even though the Cardinals are only 2 1/2 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot (part of a group of six teams all within three games of one another), it feels as though they are likely to be Deadline sellers again. Thus, here’s a ranking of the top five Cardinals players most likely to be traded, including a bit of a surprise at No. 5.

1. OF Lars Nootbaar

“Noot” has always been the most likely Cardinal to be traded and, frankly, had he been healthy this offseason rather than recovering from surgery on both of his heels, he likely would have been traded months ago. He hasn’t quite been the difference maker the Cardinals might have hoped since his season debut on June 5 -- he’s getting on base a good bit, but his power is way down -- but the most important thing is that he looks healthy. He’s also still under team control through next year, so he wouldn’t be a rental.

There will be teams who will dream on his typically splendid underlying metrics, including elite chase and hard-hit rates. And best of all: With Joshua Báez crushing the ball down at Triple-A Memphis, the Cardinals have a ready-made replacement who is prepared to show what he can do in the Majors. Nootbaar has been a great Cardinal, but this is a no-brainer.

2. SP Dustin May

After his one-hit masterpiece against the Padres on June 16, it looked as if May might be one of the top arms available at this Deadline (among the non-Tarik Skubal options) -- a pitcher who, having overcome an assortment of unfortunate injuries, was looking very much like an ace. He has struggled since then (7.66 ERA in six starts), but he did steady himself with a solid performance against the Reds on Friday (six innings, one run, eight strikeouts).

The Cardinals and May have a mutual option for next year, which basically means he’s a pending free agent. Since St. Louis doesn’t look like a playoff team right now, trading May for someone who can help in 2027 and beyond makes sense – and, of course, was a major reason they signed him in the first place. One more solid start for May (he faces the Cubs on Wednesday) should assure any nervous suitors that he’s back on track.

3. RP JoJo Romero

Romero is currently on the injured list recovering from an emergency appendectomy he underwent in mid-July. There is no timeline yet for his return, but because it’s not an arm injury, teams shouldn’t be scared away. Romero is the sort of reliable lefty bullpen arm that teams are always looking for at the Deadline, and while the Cardinals might not receive a huge return for him, he’s an obvious flip candidate considering he’ll be a free agent after the season.

4. RP Riley O’Brien

So here is where it starts getting interesting. O’Brien was one of the team’s three All-Stars and is currently second in the National League in saves, trailing only San Diego’s Mason Miller. O’Brien also isn’t due to reach free agency until after the 2030 season. That would make you think the Cardinals would consider him someone to build around, but he’s already 31 years old, and you can make a strong argument that his trade value will never be higher than it is right now.

The Cardinals would certainly get a lot more for him than they would get for Romero or anyone else in their bullpen. It’s possible O’Brien is, in fact, their most valuable potential trade chip. Dealing him would hinder the bullpen for the rest of 2026, but if Chaim Bloom wants to maximize his return as he builds for the future, trading O’Brien would very much do that.

5. 1B Alec Burleson

So this is the most controversial one. Burleson is beloved in the clubhouse -- trading him would lead to many long faces -- and he has the second-highest OPS+ on the team, behind Jordan Walker. He has become the hitter the Cardinals long believed he could become. But the question remains: Is Burleson the starting first baseman on the next great Cardinals team? He’ll be 28 in November, he’ll be a free agent after the 2028 season and he doesn’t seem like an obvious extension candidate.

The Cardinals have no immediately obvious replacement for Burleson, though first base does look like a potential spot for Iván Herrera at some point -- maybe even next year. But if the Cardinals are selling, Burleson could land a sizeable return, as a well-above-average bat under team control for two more seasons beyond this one. If you’re looking for a shocking Cardinals trade, this might be it.

Other potential trade chips

• 3B Nolan Gorman: If another team wants to dream on him, the Cardinals are ready to move on.

• SP Michael McGreevy: His low strikeout rate puts a ceiling on his long-term prospects, but he has been terrific this year.

• C Pedro Pages: He’s a defensive upgrade for anyone in need of a backup catcher, and trading him would help clear the Cardinals’ crowded catching depth chart.

• SP Andre Pallante: He has turned it around this year but still might not be a part of the team’s rotation in the long term.

• RP Ryne Stanek: He has a $6 million club option for 2027 and has a sub-3.00 ERA since May 1.