St. Louis faces a pivotal offseason with Mozeliak out and Chaim Bloom at the helm, and two lefty outfielders—Lars Nootbaar and Alec Burleson—emerge as prime trade chips. Burleson, the article argues, is the more sensible move because he could net a bigger return and, despite defensive limitations, he carries more offensive upside and clear DH potential. Nootbaar provides solid defense and a steady bat, but his ceiling may be lower in a sale scenario. Both are under team control into the late 2020s, giving Bloom flexibility to pursue a controllable starting pitcher to elevate the rotation. The overarching theme: leverage depth to reshape the outfield and sharpen STL’s rotation window.

With Bloom steering the offseason, a reshuffled outfield could unlock payroll flexibility and prospect capital to pursue a top pitching target. Burleson’s value stands out because a package built around him could fetch a high-end, controllable arm. The Cardinals’ plan appears to balance keeping Nootbaar’s defense and floor while exploring Burleson as a headline trade asset. The winter promises a busy stretch as STL weighs which asset moves best fit their long-term championship arc.

Ultimately, the piece frames a bittersweet but strategic path: use Burleson or Nootbaar to land a rotation boost and keep the rest of the pipeline intact. If Bloom executes, STL could pivot toward a more formidable 2025-26 window while maintaining enough depth to stay competitive during the transition.