Angels All-Star Pitcher Reportedly Available, Should Cardinals Consider Trade?

The St. Louis Cardinals are in second place in the National League Central and are in a position to acquire a former All-Star to bolster their bullpen.

With the July 30 trade deadline approaching, the Cardinals’ midseason turnaround has them in position to be buyers in just a few weeks. While their bullpen is one of the best in Major League Baseball, a reliever rumored to be traded would be a major addition.

“The Angels are being bombarded with interest in reliever Carlos Estévez, who might be the best reliever available on the market,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote Sunday.

Estévez has a 2.89 ERA with a 28-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a .192 batting average against and a 0.82 WHIP in 28 innings pitched over 28 games. He also has 16 saves in 19 chances.

While the Cardinals have the best closer in baseball in right-hander Ryan Helsley, it’s still smart to find high-leverage options who are comfortable closing when needed.

The right-hander is considered a valuable asset this summer, so St. Louis will have to move quickly to get a deal done with the Angels. The priority would be to bolster the back end of the rotation, but if Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak wants to get greedy, it would make sense to further bolster the pitching staff with another defensive reliever.

More MLB: The Cardinals are rumored to have a “robust” market making it difficult to complete a major deal.