The St. Louis Cardinals have emerged as one of the biggest surprises in Major League Baseball this season. Entering the year with projected win totals in the high-60 range, few expected St. Louis to begin the campaign with an impressive 21-15 record. Manager Oli Marmol has done an excellent job getting the most out of a roster featuring promising young talent such as JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, and Masyn Winn.
The Cardinals’ strong start has also sparked speculation about whether the club could become active buyers ahead of the MLB trade deadline. One possible target mentioned by FanSided writer Zachary Rotman is Bryan Abreu, the hard-throwing reliever from the Houston Astros, who could provide another major boost to St. Louis’ bullpen.
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 reveal a trade 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.
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.
