The St. Louis Cardinals are still very much in the hunt for the NL Central crown. As of Wednesday afternoon, they’re tied for second place with the Milwaukee Brewers and trail the division-leading Chicago Cubs by just 2.5 games.
However, Jim Bowden of The Athletic—a former MLB executive—recently floated a major trade proposal that would send two Cardinals All-Stars to the MLB-best Detroit Tigers. In Bowden’s scenario, St. Louis would deal third baseman Nolan Arenado and closer Ryan Helsley to Detroit in exchange for top infield prospect Kevin McGonigle.
Currently, the Cardinals are tied with Milwaukee for the final NL Wild Card spot, holding a slim lead over the Padres (0.5 games), Reds (2 games), and Diamondbacks (2.5 games). A trade like this could derail their postseason hopes, as they’d be parting with Arenado—an elite defender and the team’s second-leading home run hitter with 10—and Helsley, who despite a spike in ERA has still racked up 15 saves. On the flip side, the deal would address needs for the 50-win Tigers, who could use help at third base and in the back end of their bullpen.
McGonigle, drafted 37th overall in 2023 out of Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School in Pennsylvania, is playing for the Single-A West Michigan White Caps. He’s tearing it up with a .382/.471/.696 slash line, along with five homers and 28 RBIs in just 121 plate appearances.
If the Cardinals decide they can’t realistically compete with powerhouses like the Dodgers, Phillies, Cubs, and Mets, pivoting to a long-term strategy could make sense. McGonigle, a 20-year-old ranked No. 2 in the Tigers’ farm system and No. 22 overall by MLB Pipeline, would be a major piece for the future.
