Ex-Cardinals Farmhand Listed Among Possible Trade Candidates

The St. Louis Cardinals may shift their strategy as the trade deadline approaches, potentially influencing their performance and that of former players like Zac Gallen. Punters might consider betting on the Cardinals to remain competitive in the postseason picture, especially given their current standing in the National League Central.

The St. Louis Cardinals are a team that will be interesting to watch at the trade deadline. They are 36-28 and sit in second place in the National League Central. One would assume that they would be buyers rather than sellers, but it's not so cut and dry this year with several players on expiring contracts.

Elsewhere in Major League Baseball, there are some former Cardinals that could be on the move. Back in 2017, St. Louis traded right-handers Zac Gallen and Sandy Alcantara to the Miami Marlins for Marcell Ozuna. Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report predicts that Gallen could be on the move if the Arizona Diamondbacks can't stay in contention.

"Arizona making Gallen available is more likely than Houston putting Valdez on the block, but this is also probably a spot where the team will just stand pat until qualifying offer season. Doesn't help matters that Gallen is sputtering through the least productive season of his career, which would likely keep teams from offering the Diamondbacks enough to move him, if they even would entertain the possibility," Miller wrote.

Gallen was drafted by the Cardinals in the third round back in 2016 out of the University of North Carolina. He was traded to Arizona from Miami in his rookie season in 2019. This season, the former Cardinal farmhand has not been productive. The 29-year-old right-hander is 4-7 with a 5.13 ERA in 13 starts. He also has a 1.33 WHIP and has struck out 70 batters through 73.2 innings of work.

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