The St. Louis Cardinals were expected to be in transition in 2025, not contending for a playoff spot.
But with the trade deadline approaching, they are surprisingly, still in the race, sitting third in NL Central, just 2.5 games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs.
Meanwhile, longtime president of baseball operations John Mozeliak is set to step down at the end of the season. And according to MLB Insider Katie Woo, he is looking to go out with a statement and leave by making moves that could leave a lasting stamp on his Cardinals legacy.
Does John Mozeliak Play it Safe or Take a Gamble in His Final St. Louis Cardinals Trade Deadline?
Woo, a Cardinals writer for The Athletic, believes that the decision on whether the team will spend big or play it safe rests entirely on ownership, not on Mozeliak.
“Ultimately, this is going to be an ownership decision,” she told “Foul Territory.” “Ownership has prepared for a recession, whether it’s gate revenue, ticket sales or the restructured TV deal, so the Cardinals were expecting to lose some money this year compared to years prior.”
With Mozeliak set to depart after the season, the Cardinals have already laid out a succession plan for 2026. Regardless of how the team performs, that plan is unlikely to change its course, according to Woo.
“I believe they can do both, build for the future and still upgrade the roster,” she remarked. However, fans who are hoping to see the Cardinals splash during the trade deadline are likely to be left disappointed.
Cardinals Have Rarely Made Big Trades and They Are Unlikely To Change Now
The Cardinals aren’t a club who have pursued blockbuster moves at the deadline. They typically avoid making aggressive trades, even in seasons where it might have felt warranted. “That’s just not something they’ve done, even in years when they had no excuse not to,” Woo added.
This year, there’s a clear reason for even more caution. Mozeliak’s successor, Chaim Bloom, will take over in October, and the transition plan is already in place to give him a fresh start.
“The whole point was to create a clean segue, a clean slate for Bloom to take over next season,” she added.
Will John Mozeliak attempt to go out on a high note with an aggressive trade deadline in his final year with the Cardinals?@KatieJWoo says he can upgrade the roster while still accommodating the future. pic.twitter.com/LXjsJkp47X
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) June 24, 2025
That doesn’t mean St. Louis is giving up. “They don’t need to blow it up and sell. They don’t need to go all-in and buy,” Woo noted. “They can thread the needle, incrementally improve while keeping the transition plan intact. That’s the best look for the organization.”
The front office still believes the team can stay competitive down the stretch. However, their exact trade deadline stance remains undecided, and likely will for a few more weeks.