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Cardinals linked to All-Star, Gold Glove catcher in strange deadline move

For the St. Louis Cardinals, an MLB trade deadline move should be made with the future in mind. The offense is one of the youngest in the sport, and with a lot of intriguing prospects making their way up the farm system, the future is bright in St. Louis.

Josh Jacobs of Red Bird Rants believes that to capitalize on this trade deadline, the Cardinals should look to add an All-Star catcher. While a strange idea on the surface, Jacobs' explanation reveals an intriguing potential behind such a move.

"Well, the Cardinals are laying the groundwork for Ivan Herrera to change positions and end his days as a catcher." Jacobs wrote. "Many are skeptical of Pedro Pages or Yohel Pozo as the club's answer, and while they do have top prospects, who are catchers, should you really bank on them being ready soon?"

For Jacobs, the solution is simple: trade with the Atlanta Braves for All-Star catcher Sean Murphy. The Braves had rookie Drake Baldwin raking in the majors, and with a disappointing season unfolding, moving on from Murphy could net a strong return.

Murphy signed a massive $73 million extension through the 2028 season with a team option in 2029. Adding him to the roster would solve the short-term catcher issue, as well as resolve the team's long-term catcher plans.

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It'd also make the transition from Herrera to a new catcher a lot smoother, as the team would've had to bank on Pozo or Pages behind the plate. While a great concept, the issue would be the asking price.

Atlanta hasn't expressed their willingness to move on from the Gold Glove catcher, but if he were to be available, the Braves could demand a huge return for him. But, for the Cardinals, such a huge return might be worth it.

Murphy is a Gold Glover, but he's also a great hitter. This season in 191 at-bats, Murphy has a .236 batting average with 15 home runs, eight doubles, 35 RBIs, and a .828 OPS. In his big-league career, Murphy has a .765 OPS and a 114 OPS+.

Finding catchers with above-average offensive production is difficult to come across. In adding Murphy, the Cardinals would be adding a very intriguing player to their roster who'd help the rest of the 2025 season, as well as into the future.

But, even if the Cardinals can't land him by the trade deadline, looking to bring Murphy to St. Louis in the offseason could still be on the table. He'd help provide clarity to the Cardinals' roster, while giving the offense and defense a boost, even if he were to cost a lot.