In the quest for a playoff push in the latter part of the season, the St. Louis Cardinals are eyeing reinforcements for their starting rotation as the MLB trade deadline approaches.
Per John Denton of MLB.com, the Cardinals are setting their sights on acquiring two starting pitchers: Nathan Eovaldi from the Texas Rangers and Zach Eflin from the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Cardinals currently have a starting rotation that falls in the middle of the pack. Their 6.5 fWAR ranks 17th in MLB, while their 4.44 ERA ranks 21st.
Despite being the defending World Series champions, the Cardinals have had a disappointing first half of the season and are likely to be sellers at the deadline. With a record of 46-51, they are 7.5 games behind the last wild-card spot.
Nathan Eovaldi, at 34 years old, continues to impress with a 3.36 ERA in 17 starts and 99 innings pitched. He has recorded 94 strikeouts, 26 walks, and a 1.07 WHIP.
On the other hand, 30-year-old Zach Eflin is anticipated to be traded as the Rays drift away from playoff contention.
Eflin holds a 5-7 record in 18 starts and 104.1 innings pitched, with a 4.14 ERA, 83 strikeouts, and a 1.17 WHIP. Despite some tough breaks this season, his 3.39 expected ERA suggests better outcomes may be on the horizon.
With strong performances from Sonny Gray and Kyle Gibson in the first half, the addition of a seasoned veteran to the rotation could propel the Cardinals in the second half of the season.
As the July 30 deadline looms, all eyes will be on the Cardinals as they seek to fortify their rotation for a postseason push.