The St. Louis Cardinals are looking for pitching, could the Cleveland Guardians be their trade partner?

There is a very good chance that the Guardians make a move of substance this offseason. Luckily for the Guardians, a potential trade partner has just emerged. The St. Louis Cardinals.

Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak was not exactly subtle when it came to which position group the team is looking to improve this offseason, starting pitching, and was quoted as saying, "We certainly feel like we need at least two starters.". It certainly seems like the Cardinals are in a situation where they are desperate to buy, while the Guardians are in a position to sell, (although it is worth nothing they are not exactly desperate at this time). 

This sounds like a perfect opportunity for Cleveland to engage in trade talks with the Cardinals. The Guardians find themselves in a very familiar position this offseason, a position that sees them having to determine how they are going to handle a talented starting pitcher with one arbitration-eligible year remaining. That pitcher would be Shane Bieber.

Bieber has been rumored to be on the move for some time, and this winter could finally be when the Guardians finally trade the former Cy Young Award winner. There was a very real chance that Cleveland could have traded Bieber this past season, and it may have taken place had he not gone down with an injury. With the injury now behind him, in addition to the Guardians being a team that is going to need to be aggressive this offseason, Cleveland could trade Bieber to improve their lineup.

This is where the Cardinals come into play

St. Louis is a team that could be inclined to move position player talent to acquire a starting pitcher. This sounds like a perfect match for the Guardians. Cleveland needs to improve their major league roster, even if that means parting ways with someone like Bieber. 

When it comes to players who could come back Cleveland's way, there was one player who was mentioned as being targeted by the New York Yankees, Brendan Donovan. Donovan is an extremely talented player who happens to have one more year before he becomes eligible for arbitration. Acquiring a player of Donovan's skill who is not eligible for free agency until 2028 seems like a move that aligns with their organizational philosophy.

While an addition of Donovan would not solve Cleveland's most notable issue, a lack of home runs, his ability as a well-rounded hitter would boost the offensive floor of the team, which is something that also must be accomplished.

Of course, a straight-up Bieber for Donovan deal is not on the table. Other players would have to be involved to make it agreeable for both sides. Adding a few other players from Cleveland's end would help clear some organizational clutter and hopefully get the most out of some players who may never make an impact for the Guardians at the major league level.

What this will ultimately come down to how serious the Cardinals are about trading away position players to acquire pitching and how aggressive the Guardians want to be when it comes to improving their lineup. Both teams seem to have what the other wants and a trade between the two organizations makes too much sense not to happen. It may not be a multi-player deal highlighted by Bieber and Donovan changing teams, but these teams should keep their lines of communication open in the event they are able to agree to terms on a different deal that would benefit both ballclubs.