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The Cardinals feel like a team who are unwilling to admit that their window has closed, and instead keep trying to get one more run out of an aging group. Whether it's this summer or next winter, St. Louis may be forced to cope with reality.

Desperate for quality starting pitching, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak signed a trio of mid-30s starting pitchers this offseason in Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson, who joined 35-year-old Miles Mikoas and 33-year-old Steven Matz. Here's how their five primary starters have done so far in 2024:

Mikolas: 5.82 ERA over 21.2 IP

Lynn: 2.18 ERA over 20.2 IP

Matz: 3.60 ERA over 20 IP

Gibson: 6.16 ERA over 19 IP

Gray: 0.00 ERA over 11 IP

While Gray had to open the season on the injured list with a right hamstring injury, last year's AL Cy Young runner-up looks to have been a strong addition on a three-year, $75 million deal. Matz also has had a respectable start.

Mikolas and Gibson, however, have had nightmarish starts. While Lynn's ERA has been tremendous so far, his 4.89 FIP suggests he's going to come crashing back down to Earth.

Even if the pitching for the Cardinals is able to hold things together for 2024, the age of the group makes it hard to believe this is a team with a long-term path to being a World Series contender.

What's more, while rookie shortstop Mason Wynn looks like a potential star, the veteran additions of Matt Carpenter and Brandon Crawford have netted very few positive results this far. There are enough questions about the team's offense and starting pitching that make you feel like they are at a crossroads organizationally.

Future Hall of Fame third baseman Nolan Arenado just turned 33, and while there will probably be trade interest in him, he's signed through 2027 and St. Louis might decide they would like him to finish his career in a Cardinals uniform.

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The short and long-term future for former NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt are much less clear. Set to turn 37 in September, Goldschmidt can become a free agent after the season. If the Cardinals aren't a serious playoff team this summer, will both sides decide it's best to go in other directions in advance of the July 30 trade deadline?

Certainly, if the Cardinals are open for business, closer Ryan Helsley would be a popular trade target as well. The 29-year-old can become a free agent after the 2025 season, and with how volatile hard-throwing closers are, cashing him in for prospects could make sense if the Cardinals choose to take a step back.

This doesn't project to be a particularly interesting trade deadline, but that could change depending on if the Cardinals decide to sell, and just who on their roster they would be willing to part ways with.