The St. Louis Cardinals will be making a lot of trades this winter as they prepare to rebuild for 2026. They need to offload contracts but also find ways to add pitching to their roster.
Their starting rotation was their weakest link in 2025, and with Sonny Gray potentially being traded this offseason, there could be some holes to fill.
They can accomplish this via trade or free agency. If they go the trade route to add starting pitching, then there are two options with the Miami Marlins that Jon Morosi of MLB Network notes are “popular” at the moment.
If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.
Cardinals Line Up Well With Marlins For Potential Trade
Sep 26, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) delivers pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Cardinals made a famous trade with the Marlins back in 2017, sending Zac Gallen and Sandy Alcantara to Miami for Marcell Ozuna. That deal didn’t work out well for the Cardinals.
Alcantara won a Cy Young in 2022 and he was at the center of trade rumors at the deadline this past season. He’ll likely require a haul of prospects, and St. Louis doesn’t have many to spare at the moment.
Still, if they acquire Alcantara, the cycle would come full circle and he would return to the team that he made his Major League debut with all those years ago.
Edward Cabrera is likely the more affordable option for St. Louis. He has three years of club control and isn’t a free agent until after the 2028 season. But he went 8-7 with a 3.53 ERA in 26 starts.
Both pitchers bring swing-and-miss to a rotation that desperately needs it. But if the Cardinals are hoping to stay true to their rebuild, then Cabrera is likely the best option, as he is more affordable and will cost much less in a trade package.
Alcantara will more than likely end up with a contender than in St. Louis if he is traded, one that will be more willing to part with some top prospects. The Cardinals won’t be willing to give up JJ Wetherholt or Liam Doyle, as they are key pieces of the future.
The Cardinals will be a fascinating team to follow in the coming weeks, and it will be interesting to see if they decide to target one of the Marlins’ right-handers.
More MLB: Why Cardinals 25-Year-Old Lefty Could Soon Be On The Move