7 St. Louis Cardinals the SF Giants should target at the trade deadline

7 St. Louis Cardinals the SF Giants should target at the trade deadline

5. Jordan Hicks

While this is the lowest on the Giants' list of needs, adding yet another flamethrower to a bullpen that's been dominated by Tyler Rogers, Taylor Rogers as well as Camilo Doval, he could add another level of depth to this unit.

They're on the verge of being one of the best in all of baseball, and with Hicks being just 26 years of age, he could be a key piece of this group for years to come alongside the top three, but unfortunately, that means he may not be up for sale.

That all depends on how the Cardinals see their future, but if they want to build for the future, they may get a solid prospect back for the Giants in place of a pitcher with a 3.93 ERA through 36.2 innings of work this year, which would add another element to a very talented group.

Luckily, the Giants are not in a position where they need to bolster the bullpen. That said, it is often an area that is addressed by competitive teams one way or the other.

6. Dylan Carlson

The SF Giants have no doubt got some great production from the outfield this year, but the consistency throughout the year just hasn't been there, and beyond starting pitching, this could be an option for them to address.

Enter Dylan Carlson, who at just 24 years of age has become a key piece for the Cardinals, and thus, the Giants would need to potentially give up one of their more important prospects to get him on the team for the future.

Once again, he may be the more unlikely player for the Giants to target, as the Cardinals could see him as a piece for the future, but if they can't contend in the next two or three years, it may be the best time for them to sell high on him.

7. Jack Flaherty

The SF Giants may first look to names like Marcus Stroman, Lucas Giolito, or Shane Bieber to fill their starting position role, but if they can't land any of them, they could be pivoting towards Flaherty, who's been especially fantastic in recent times.

Over his past four starts, Flaherty has allowed 0 runs in three of his past five starts, but unfortunately in those other two, he has given up six in each, so if he can find consistency, he could be the perfect third hurler in the Giants rotation going forward.

At 27 years of age, Flaherty is at a great point in his career to go on a major playoff run with San Francisco, as he has tallied a solid 40-30 record and 3.54 ERA over his seven-year career, so if the Giants don't land one of the top names available, keep an eye on Flaherty.

Similar to Jordan Montgomery, Flaherty is scheduled to hit free agency in the winter, meaning that there is a high likelihood that he is moved.

Of course, both Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt could be on the market as well. Both are under contract for lucrative deals beyond 2023, so while a trade could happen, it is hard to imagine the Cardinals becoming competitive against next year without either of those players on the roster.