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The St. Louis Cardinals’ starting rotation continues to struggle with inconsistency, and there doesn’t seem to be any reinforcements coming soon. Aside from rookie Michael McGreevy, the team lacks MLB-ready pitchers to replace underperforming starters like Miles Mikolas and Erick Fedde.

Despite these rotation concerns, the Cardinals remain firmly in the playoff hunt. However, they’ll need a strong run heading into the All-Star break to motivate ownership to invest in roster upgrades. Still just a few games out of a Wild Card spot, the team must deliver in mid-July to persuade outgoing executive John Mozeliak that bolstering the roster is worthwhile—even without a roster full of stars. Although it seems unlikely the front office will make major moves at the deadline, that hasn’t stopped fans and analysts from speculating about ideal trade targets. MLB insider Jeff Passan joined that conversation in a recent piece for ESPN.

Jeff Passan confirmed Rays starter Taj Bradley to the Cardinals.

Jeff Passan examined all 16 MLB teams currently above .500 and identified ideal trade partners for each. When it came to the St. Louis Cardinals, he acknowledged their struggles against left-handed pitching but emphasized that their most pressing need is starting pitching—a point that’s hard to dispute. For a trade match, Passan landed on the Tampa Bay Rays, a team with a history of deals with St. Louis and one currently clinging to a Wild Card spot.

His suggested target from Tampa Bay is 24-year-old right-hander Taj Bradley. A former top prospect, Bradley has had a season consistent with his career trends, posting a 5-6 record and a 4.79 ERA. However, advanced metrics suggest he’s been somewhat unlucky, indicating an expected ERA closer to the mid-3s. One contributing factor to his uneven results has been a dip in strikeout rate, though he still boasts a 96 mph fastball and solid secondary offerings.

Interestingly, Bradley has reduced his use of the splitter—a pitch that had previously been one of his most effective—and significantly increased his curveball usage, which has paid off. Opponents are hitting just .091 against the curve this season, a huge drop from the .483 slugging percentage it allowed last year.

Acquiring Bradley wouldn’t be cheap. Although the Rays may consider moving him due to the strength of their current rotation, it would be unusual for them to part with a young, controllable arm. Bradley isn’t eligible for arbitration until 2027 and won’t hit free agency until 2030, making him especially valuable. For a Cardinals team likely to lose pitchers like Erick Fedde, Miles Mikolas, and Steven Matz soon, Bradley’s years of control would be a major draw.

While trading for Bradley might not be entirely realistic, Passan’s reasoning is sound—especially given St. Louis’ pitching uncertainty and their strong depth at catcher, which he notes could be a key piece in any potential deal.