Cardinals Begin Rebuild After Trade Deadline Sell-Off

The St. Louis Cardinals have officially embraced a rebuilding phase following their 2025 trade deadline moves, which included trading relievers Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, and Phil Maton, all on expiring contracts, to contending teams. While these trades brought in prospects such as infield prospect Blaze Jordan from Boston, the returns were generally light and the team did not restock their farm system substantially, leading to criticism of their cautious approach. A key aspect of the rebuild may involve trading All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan, who is approaching free agency and whose trade value is currently at its peak; this move would clear a logjam of left-handed bats and allow top prospect J.J. Wetherholt to take over second base. The team’s future president of baseball operations, Chaim Bloom, appears poised to make bold decisions to accelerate the rebuild despite fan attachment to current stars. Fans should anticipate a challenging remainder of the 2025 season as the team leans on youth and prospects while older veterans remain either difficult to trade or unwilling to waive no-trade clauses. Despite the difficulties ahead, the Cardinals have promising young talent in the pipeline, offering hope for a return to contention by 2026 or later.