The St. Louis Cardinals are performing far better than expected this year. They are 36-30 and are not far back in the National League Central or Wild Card race.
They were supposed to be entering a rebuild of sorts last offseason, but their improved play could be putting that on hold.
They do have plenty of pieces that contending teams will want at the trade deadline if they decide to sell, but it's not clear what direction they'll take.
Bradford Doolittle of ESPN urged St. Louis to choose a path and stick with it at the trade deadline.
"Pick a lane. The Cardinals have exceeded their middling expectations and are well positioned to make a real push for the playoffs. Still, they are at best a 50-50 candidate to play into October," Doolittle writes.
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St. Louis has struggled to decide what lane to pick in recent years. They haven't fully committed to a rebuild, but also have not fully committed to contending.
They have plenty of pieces to sell if that is the direction they take. But they could also add on the margins and at least try and balance competing with building for the future.
Some of their biggest trade chips include Ryan Helsley, Erick Fedde, Steven Matz, Phil Maton and possibly even Miles Mikolas. All are on expiring contracts.
They also have a lot of pitching injuries in the minor leagues, so replenishing that depth is going to be important for the future.
It will be interesting to see which way they lean at this year's deadline.
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