Despite the offseason rumors and the countless articles detailing potential players for the St. Louis Cardinals to sell, the team is in great shape for a postseason push. They're in a Wild Card spot and have a solid roster performing at a high level.
Instead of being sellers, like many were expecting, the Cardinals are more likely to be buyers at the trade deadline. For David Schoenfield of ESPN, one player the Cardinals should target is Arizona Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly.
"The Cardinals continue to exceed expectations," Schoenfield writes. "And Kelly's $7 million contract would be especially attractive to them -- or any team looking for a starter at an affordable rate, for that matter."
Kelly is a cost-effective and solid starter who'd pair nicely with Sonny Gray in the Cardinals' starting rotation. Not only is Kelly a rental option, but he's one of the best ones out there.
His 3.49 ERA isn't anything flashy, but it's a strong number, more than worth being the Cardinals' number two starter behind Gray. More importantly, Kelly has the postseason experience that the Cardinals are looking for.
In his 2023 season in the playoffs, Kelly had a 2.25 ERA in four starts, as he went 3-1 with 28 strikeouts in 24 innings of work. Kelly was a solid contributor for the Diamondbacks in the World Series run and would help the Cardinals try to do the same.
Kelly, aside from his 3.49 ERA, has 100 strikeouts and 26 walks in 2025. His 1.071 WHIP is he second lowest of his MLB career, and a lot of numbers are on track to be his best, or second best, seasons in the Major Leagues.
While there are plenty of teams expected to be interested in the veteran Diamondbacks righty, he might not be on the move. Similar to the Cardinals, the Diamondbacks are potential postseason contenders and may not sell.
He'd be an immediate upgrade over Miles Mikolas and Erick Fedde, while also complementing Gray well as part of the team's new 1-2 punch. If the Diamondbacks are willing to sell, St. Louis should be vying to land the veteran righty for their postseason push in 2025.