The St. Louis Cardinals just fell below .500 for the first time all season, and the trade deadline is just five days away. Chaim Bloom has some difficult decisions on his hands: what to do with Lars Nootbaar, Dustin May, and, most recently, Ivan Herrera. MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported that the Cardinals are open to moving their All-Star catcher, with a weak market for catchers and multiple potential suitors.
Ivan Herrera’s Health Concerns
Herrera earned his first All-Star appearance this season and has remained healthy throughout the year so far. Much of that can be attributed to the Cardinals’ dedication to keeping him on the field day in and day out by not overworking him behind the plate.
Herrera’s health is something to consider for teams interested in him, as he has yet to play a full season injury-free. He is about to surpass his career high of 107 games played and is an above-average hitter at the plate. His value comes from his bat; he has a career 6.4 caught-stealing percentage behind the plate.
Herrera is slashing .242/.362/.377 this year, which is down across all categories from the prior year. Last season he hit 19 home runs while missing time with a knee injury early on. Just 12 home runs this season in nearly the same number of games. He might be a part of the Cardinals’ perceived core, but just as they did with Brendan Donovan in the offseason, if the right offer comes up, Bloom might jump.
Catching Market Has Six Potential Suitors
Feinsand also reported that the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers are all suitors in the catching market. This market is also extremely thin, like much of the deadline, with so many teams in contention.
Not only would Herrera solve a catching need for these teams, but some also need a right-handed bat. The Yankees have been rumored to be interested in a right-handed hitter due to injuries on their roster. Combine that with a need for a catcher, and the Yankees might have a case for Herrera. He fits both of those needs, and on days he is not catching, they could use him as a designated hitter or in the outfield, as he did work that toward the end of last season.
Feinsand reported the Miami Marlins are willing to deal Liam Hicks, a left-handed-hitting catcher, which could create two separate markets at the deadline. Teams that are left-handed heavy might steer clear of Hicks so as not to create a new problem. That would open the door for the Cardinals to push the price for their All-Star up and maximize the value they could return.
It is unclear whether the Cardinals will deal Herrera or not, and he likely is not the first name on the list for the Cardinals to deal. Other options do not project to be a part of the core in St. Louis and hold a higher priority to move.
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