The St. Louis Cardinals have emerged as one of the biggest surprises in Major League Baseball this season, forcing the organization into a complicated decision regarding veteran pitcher Dustin May as the trade deadline approaches.
Entering the 2026 campaign, expectations for St. Louis were modest at best. After moving on from four important veterans during the offseason, many analysts predicted the Cardinals were headed toward another losing season potentially their third in four years. Instead, the club has exceeded expectations and remained firmly in the playoff race, sitting just 1.5 games behind in the National League Central while currently holding the second NL Wild Card spot.
That unexpected success has dramatically changed the conversation around May, who was originally viewed as a likely trade candidate after signing a one-year deal with the Cardinals. At the start of the season, many believed St. Louis would act as sellers at the deadline, with May potentially becoming one of the team’s most valuable rental assets for contenders seeking pitching help.
However, as columnist Benjamin Hochman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch pointed out, the Cardinals’ strong play has made the organization’s strategy far less straightforward.
Hochman noted that while it may still be too early to make a definitive decision about May’s future, the team’s position in the standings could completely alter the front office’s approach. If the Cardinals continue to climb the standings and potentially challenge for the division title or even a first-round playoff bye, the incentive to keep May becomes much stronger.
The situation is especially complicated because the National League Central has become one of baseball’s most competitive divisions, with every team playing above .500 baseball. That crowded race makes it difficult for St. Louis to determine whether it should fully commit to the postseason push or remain focused on the long-term rebuilding process.
Although the Cardinals’ pitching staff has performed well this season, depth remains a major concern. Injuries or inconsistency later in the year could quickly expose weaknesses in the rotation, which is one reason keeping May may ultimately be more valuable than trading him for future assets.
Rather than choosing between buying or selling outright, St. Louis could pursue a balanced strategy at the deadline. The Cardinals may decide to make smaller additions to strengthen the roster while also moving select expiring contracts to improve long-term flexibility. Players such as JoJo Romero, Ramon Urias, and Ryne Stanek are also on expiring deals and could become trade candidates if the front office decides to partially sell.
Meanwhile, May has steadily become one of the team’s most reliable contributors. After struggling in his first two starts of the season, the right-hander has turned things around in impressive fashion. Entering Thursday’s outing, May owns a strong 2.83 ERA across his last seven appearances and has arguably pitched like the ace of the Cardinals’ rotation during that stretch.
Equally important for St. Louis, May has remained healthy while delivering consistent production — something that has not always been guaranteed throughout his career. His resurgence has given the Cardinals stability in the rotation and helped fuel the team’s surprising success.
While adding pitching depth to the farm system through a trade could benefit the Cardinals’ rebuilding efforts, holding onto an effective and healthy May may ultimately provide greater value if the team remains in playoff contention. What once seemed like an obvious trade-deadline move has now evolved into one of the organization’s toughest decisions of the season.
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