MLB: Five Teams That Should Be Buyers
By Matt Weyrich
St. Louis Cardinals
For a team like the Cardinals, something seems off about discussing their Wild Card chances as if October baseball in St. Louis isn’t a guarantee. However, with the Cubs 9.5 games up on the Cards in the NL Central and four teams within two games for both Wild Card spots, nothing is set in stone.
The Cardinals have been one of the streakiest teams in all of baseball lately, winning seven of eight before hitting a five-game losing streak last weekend. How did they rebound from the skid? By sweeping the Cubs of course. The offense has scored the most runs in the National League, but the pitching staff sports a pedestrian 3.95 ERA. With Adam Wainwright struggling in his return from the Achilles tear and Michael Wacha still searching for his success from a season ago, St. Louis could be one or two starters away from running away with the Wild Card.
While a majority of the top talent in the Cards’ farm system has reached the majors, St. Louis still has several pieces that could be moved for a front-line starter. In fact, this team could potentially make a run at Gray or Julio Teheran. In fact, they should. Both pitchers are locked up through at least 2019 and have proven just how dominant they can be in the big leagues. Acquiring either of these arms would not just improve their playoff chances for 2016, it would give them a rock in their rotation for years to come.
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