Cardinals Navigate Trade Deadline With Playoff Hopes, Internal Power Struggle

The St. Louis Cardinals are in a challenging position as they approach the 2025 All-Star break, sitting 5 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central and 1 1/2 games out of the Wild Card spot with an uphill second-half schedule largely in pitcher-friendly parks. The team’s offense, although improved from previous years, has cooled off and will need to regain momentum to maintain playoff hopes. The Cardinals face tough decisions at the July 31 trade deadline, with key veterans like Ryan Helsley, Nolan Arenado, Miles Mikolas, and Sonny Gray potentially available as the team weighs whether to buy or sell amid a front office transition from John Mozeliak to Chaim Bloom. Helsley, a fan favorite and possible trade candidate due to his impending free agency, has seen diminished trade value given his recent performance and the team's position in the playoff race. The internal power struggle between Mozeliak and incoming president Bloom complicates decision-making, as Mozeliak tries to balance making a playoff push while not hindering Bloom's future roster plans. This dilemma leaves the Cardinals' future uncertain, with the front office under pressure to either commit fully to a playoff run or begin a rebuild.