Cardinals Reportedly Open to Trading Carlos Martinez and Tyler O'Neill

In what has to be viewed as a rather shocking development, the St. Louis Cardinals are reportedly open to dealing away some higher-profile pieces, namely pitcher Carlos Martinez and outfielder Tyler O'Neill. This report raises eyebrows, especially when you consider the production level of past outfielders who have already been traded away by the Cardinals in the recent past in Tommy Pham and Randall Grichuk.

Martinez has shown an ability to bounce around from the starting rotation to the bullpen, and if healthy, he has the stuff to give opposing lineups fits. During the 2019 season, he has pitched to a 2.18 ERA in 20.2 innings with 22 strikeouts and 5 saves. Despite missing significant time due to injury, his numbers show that he has regained form and is not bothered by a major bullpen role, something that will entice many teams at the deadline.

O'Neill is also a perplexing player to move, as the 22-year-old outfielder is hitting .295 with 4 home runs and 13 RBIs in 78 at-bats this season. With Marcell Ozuna hitting the open market at year's end, you would think that the Redbirds would want to keep O'Neill around.

With this latest buzz, the Cardinals become a team to watch come the deadline, and these two names could be on the move.