How Cardinals could cash in on a rental’s one-hitter

The St. Louis Cardinals were always going to be players at the trade deadline, but the way this surprising season has unfolded, just which way they’ll choose to go will be fascinating to watch.

Take Dustin May, for example. The righty has been a rare bright spot in this rotation, including a one-hit shutout of the San Diego Padres on Monday night. But he’s also on a one-year deal; should St. Louis flip him at the deadline to a pitching-needy team as they continue to build for the future under Chaim Bloom, or ride it out and see if he can be key to a surprising postseason run?

One thing’s for sure: If the Cardinals do decide to deal May before the Aug. 3 deadline, he’ll garner plenty of interest as he gets his career back on track.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are going to show up on every list of pitching suitors this summer, at least until they get healthy. This team needs help both in the starting rotation and in the bullpen. May could go a long way to actually help them cover up their glaring problem on the bump. May has been a strikeout machine (75) but has also given up a lot of hits (72) in 2026. That said, his 1.0 WAR is the second highest of his career at this point in the year. 

He’s going to be a sought after trade candidate if the Cardinals decide they want to move him. It would make a lot of sense for the Cardinals to explore this simply because keeping him in the National League isn’t ideal if the Cardinals want to go on a playoff run. 

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are going to be very active at this year’s trade deadline. They need to add another righty bat, but they could also benefit from some pitching help given Andrew Painter’s continued struggles. I don’t know how aggressive they get in addressing both, but if May becomes available, Philly will be in play. The Cards could drive up May’s value if another NL team wants to land him, and the Phillies could be so desperate as Dave Dombrowski looks to save his job that they give St. Louis whatever they want in return. 

I think adding a bat is probably the top priority, but they won’t neglect pitching either. While Tarik Skubal and Joe Ryan are other names that have been floated as pitchers that could be on the move, Philly almost certainly doesn’t have the ammunition to land either.

Chicago White Sox

Who would have thought the Chicago White Sox would be buyers at the trade deadline? They’ve had one of the worst records in MLB over the last few years, but somehow they’ve figured it out in 2026 and even lead the AL Central division. If they want to separate themselves from the Cleveland Guardians, adding May might be the key. He won’t solve all their problems, but with the season he’s having, he’s better to have than not. 

If the White Sox want to truly contend in the American League against the heavyweights, they’ll need much more pitching depth. The bullpen is key in the later games, but you also want a starter that can give that bullpen some cushion in the postseason. 

Atlanta Braves

The Braves have been able to make this year memorable so far, even with their ace Spencer Strider has been going back and forth between the mound and the IL. Atlanta knows that regular season success isn’t anything compared to going on a playoff run if you don’t have the pitching staff to keep up. What a waste of a season it would be if the Braves didn’t improve their staff, a necessity if they want to compete with the likes of the Dodgers.

Adding May essentially gives them a starter that can be reliable both with and without Strider. The Braves are atop the NL for a reason. If they don’t get their pitching staff some help, they’ll face some of the problems other teams have faced by hobbling through the regular season without a complete pitching staff. 

More MLB trade deadline rumors, news and analysis

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow