Cardinals Linked to Mets' Freddy Peralta, But There's a Catch

The St. Louis Cardinals remain in the thick of the wild-card race despite a 14-6 loss to the Kansas City Royals, complicating deadline plans. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com floated New York Mets ace Freddy Peralta as a potential deadline target, with the Cardinals among the possible destinations. But there’s a catch: they are in the first year of a rebuild under Chaim Bloom, and acquiring Peralta would require giving up top prospects and would be a short-term rental that could derail long-term goals. Bloom has stressed rebuilding talent as the priority, even if Peralta helps this season.