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The St. Louis Cardinals may be selling at the trade deadline. This standout reliever could be a valuable trade chip.

The St. Louis Cardinals have been one of MLB’s most apparent success stories this season. With a preseason win total in the upper 60’s, nobody expected the Cardinals to get off to a 21-15 record. Manager Oli Marmol is really maximizing the talent on his roster, which includes the likes of JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, and Masyn Winn.

Could the early-season success actually lead to the Cardinals being buyers at MLB’s trade deadline?

FanSided’s Zachary Rotman brings up the idea of landing another strong bullpen option in St. Louis in the form of Houston Astros‘ reliever Bryan Abreu.

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Bryan Abreu Emerging as Top Trade Candidate; Should the Cardinals Make a Move?

GettyATLANTA, GA – APRIL 23: Bryan Abreu #52 reacts with Cesar Salazar #18 of the Houston Astros after defeating the Atlanta Braves 5-2 at Truist Park on April 23, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Should the St. Louis Cardinals make a move for Bryan Abreu? The Astros reliever is emerging as a top trade candidate across MLB. Houston has been hit so hard with injuries that it would almost make less sense to hold onto Abreu than to trade him at this point.

Rotman proposes trading for Bryan Abreu as part of a six-step plan that could lead the Cardinals back to the MLB playoffs:

“I don’t think the Cardinals are in a position to meet the lavish prices teams set for elite relievers at the deadline, but what about a reclamation project like Bryan Abreu? Yes, Abreu has had a miserable season for the Houston Astros, but his track record is as elite as anyone’s who will be available, and he’s on an expiring contract.”

The current closer for the Cardinals is Riley O’Brien, who has emerged as a top back-end arm, but Rotman notes that other than O’Brien and JoJo Romero (who also may get traded in his own right), there aren’t really any other fearful members of St. Louis’s bullpen.

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Is Bryan Abreu a Good Fit in St. Louis

Along with trading for Bryan Abreu, Rotman believes the Cardinals should do things like promote Joshua Baez, demote Victor Scott II, and trade for Alec Bohm/Michael Wacha in order to turn their rebuild around.

And as for trading for Bryan Abreu, he shouldn’t cost too much given the fact he’s an impending free agent, and the Cardinals could buy low on him and enjoy his positive regression as the season progresses. He should cost more than a pair of semi-notable prospects.

Abreu has made 13 appearances this season and has surrendered 13 earned runs with 20 strikeouts.

It’s food for thought, but I agree with Rotman here that trading for Bryan Abreu may be a wise thing to do for the Cardinals this season.

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