The St. Louis Cardinals have made their position crystal clear: they are not sellers. In a dramatic shift from early-season expectations, the club has officially pulled veteran starters Sonny Gray and Miles Mikolas off the trade market, opting to keep their experienced rotation intact as they mount a surprise push for a National League Wild Card berth.
From Reset to Race
What was initially viewed as a transitional year for St. Louis, especially with Chaim Bloom taking over baseball operations, has taken a competitive turn. Despite early rumors of a potential retooling phase, the Cardinals have won enough to stay in the Wild Card hunt—just one game behind the San Francisco Giants as of Sunday—and are showing no signs of pulling the plug.
“Sonny Gray and Miles Mikolas are going nowhere,” a league source confirmed Sunday. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale also reported that both pitchers have expressed no interest in waiving their no-trade clauses, making it clear they’re committed to the team and the city.
Gray, 35, has been the Cardinals’ most consistent arm, posting a sub-3.00 ERA with veteran poise and postseason experience. Mikolas, 36, continues to deliver quality innings, and his leadership inside the clubhouse is reportedly another reason the front office is standing pat.
Rotation Becomes a Weapon
By holding onto Gray and Mikolas, the Cardinals effectively remove two of the more attractive names from an already thin trade market for starting pitching. With Erick Fedde also exceeding expectations and Kyle Gibson providing durability, St. Louis suddenly boasts one of the more stable rotations among Wild Card contenders.
That’s bad news for teams like the Yankees, Dodgers, and Orioles, who were believed to be monitoring the situation closely. All now face a shallower pool of options heading into the final stretch before the July 30 trade deadline.
All Eyes on the Playoffs
Instead of building for the future, St. Louis has turned its attention to October. Internal conversations have reportedly shifted from “who’s available” to “how do we help this team win now?”
With a competitive core still intact, including Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, and breakout star Masyn Winn, the front office believes that a Wild Card berth is well within reach—and that their current group deserves the shot to chase it.
“We’ve got something special brewing,” said a source close to the team. “This isn’t about starting over. It’s about finishing strong.”
The Message Is Clear
The Cardinals have now sent a thunderous message to the rest of the league: they’re not giving up—they’re going all in. By holding onto Sonny Gray and Miles Mikolas, they’ve chosen to fight, not fold, in a crowded National League race that just became even more unpredictable.
With momentum building, a stable rotation leading the charge, and front office confidence behind them, the Cardinals aren’t thinking about next year.
They’re thinking about the postseason—this year
