Cardinals Have 'Handful Of Teams' Seeking Trade For High-Leverage Hurler

St. Louis is gaining trade interest

Sep 17, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of a St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have plenty to offer before the July 31 trade deadline but with the club remaining in the playoff race, it's challenging to tell whether players will be dealt.

This summer's trade deadline will be Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak's last at the helm. After making several narrow-minded decisions throughout his reign since 2017, Mo is hoping to leave the franchise in a solid position before passing the torch to Chaim Bloom.

The following two weeks are vital for St. Louis. If the team plays well, Mozeliak might hold onto several impending free agents in hopes of a playoff push. However, if things go south for the Cardinals, trades will likely happen, especially for one coveted veteran hurler.

"There will be teams interested in both Matz and Maton," St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold stated during a podcast with columnist Jeff Gordon as they discussed how Mozeliak might approach this summer's trade deadline. "There are a handful of teams that are at least poking around on Matz -- at varying different roles. Could he be helpful for a rotation? Could he be a swingman? Could he be a high-leverage lefty that a lot of teams look for at the deadline?"

Matz has posted a 5-2 record with a 3.35 ERA, 45-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .247 batting average against and a 1.14 WHIP in 51 innings pitched for the Cardinals this season.

Since leaving the Cardinals' rotation for their bullpen this year, Matz has been exceptional from the mound. Throughout the left-handed pitcher's first seven seasons, during which he pitched for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays, the southpaw recorded only five games as a reliever.

Given that St. Louis has a logjam of starting pitchers, Matz remains a critical asset to the Cardinals' late-game pitching strategy. However, his contract expires after this season ends, so it might be in the franchise's best interest to trade the 34-year-old for future investments.

It's safe to say Matz is having one of the best seasons of his 11-year career and could earn his way to a top contender's bullpen if the Cardinals are open to trading him before the deadline.

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