STL Cardinals rumors: Jack Flaherty continues to struggle in Baltimore

Jack Flaherty was dealing when traded from the Cardinals to the Baltimore Orioles, and his first few starts with the O's were a reflection of that. Yet, as the Orioles have gotten hot down the stretch, perhaps finishing the season with the best record in the AL, Flaherty has struggled mightily.

The O's have tried everything with Flaherty, whether it be featuring his cutter or slider more often, or even making him a fastball-heavy pitcher. Seemingly, nothing is working for the right-hander, and it could very well cost him a spot on the Orioles postseason roster. Much of that has to do with the simple fact Flaherty isn't pitching well, and Baltimore's rotation is improving at a rapid rate, per Camden Chat:

"The landscape of the Orioles rotation has changed a lot in the six weeks since Flaherty joined the staff. Kyle Bradish has carried his impressive July form through mid-September and now looks like a game one starter. Grayson Rodriguez has lived up to his top prospect billing. Dean Kremer puts the Orioles in a position to win each time out. And now, former ace John Means is nearly back from Tommy John surgery."

Flaherty's BABIP against is a staggering .363 in Baltimore. His numbers over six starts with the O's are even more bleak -- 27.2 innings, 7.16 ERA, 5.18 FIP, and an .879 OPS against.

If Flaherty cannot improve by the end of the year, he'll hurt his offseason value, as well.

STL Cardinals Rumors: Is Mike Trout a fit in St. Louis?

Mike Trout is available for trade IF he wants out, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today:

The Los Angeles Angels, perhaps for the first time, are open to trading All-Star outfielder Mike Trout if he indicates to them that he wants out. Trout has exclusive no-trade rights and said recently that he wants to have a private conversation with the front office and ownership about their direction.

Now, there's no indication just yet that Trout wants to be traded. The former MVP has struggled to stay healthy of late, but when he's on the field he remains one of the best overall hitters in baseball. His contract is a lot to take on, but surely Trout would have some suitors. For the Angels, getting Trout and Ohtani off their books in the same offseason would pave the way for a rebuild. It makes some sense, but not much.

The Cardinals could be a fit, but only if they're able to trade away some outfielders of their own. Dylan Carlson and Tyler O'Neill have been mentioned in trade talks since the 2022 deadline, and both are still here. Trout is better than either player, but having the aging player at DH makes more sense while also cycling him into the outfield every now and then.

St. Louis certainly has the prospects and young players to put together an intriguing trade package for Trout. Nonetheless, their primary concern seems to be starting pitching at the moment, rather than adding to their lineup.

STL Cardinals Rumors: Why Shohei Ohtani is unlikely

MLB front office insider Jim Bowden -- a former general manager himself -- knew what he was doing when he linked the Cardinals to Shohei Ohtani. Bowden was merely stirring up some noise, as St. Louis does theoretically make some sense for Ohtani in terms of fit. Sadly for Cardinals fans who got excited while reading said article, fit isn't the only factor that goes into signing a free-agent contract. There's also the financial aspect.

"If the Cardinals are convinced that Ohtani's medicals put him back on the mound as an ace at the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025, they could decide to play in his market because they need an ace to become contenders again...However, I think they're more likely to spread the money around to three starters than use it all on one -- even if it is the great Shohei," Bowden wrote.

There's no guarantee Ohtani will be able to pitch in 2024, and if he does, whether he'll be the same dominant starter he once was. While Ohtani's era as a two-way star will go down in baseball history, it also makes him more susceptible to injury. Sadly, that is something we've seen plenty of early in Ohtani's career.

Ohtani is an elite player who deserves his money, but with the Cards hoping to build a World Series contender on a budget, it would be surprising to see them get involved in a $500 million bidding war.