Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Writer Predicts St. Louis Will Cut Ties With $44 Million Pitcher

The Cardinals will need to make a few tough decisions ahead of the trade deadline this season.
Zach Pressnell|
Apr 30, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Steven Matz (32) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Apr 30, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Steven Matz (32) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

In this story:

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals have worked rather hard over the last six months to get younger on the big league roster, but this youth movement is far from over.

In fact, there are still a handful of aging veterans on the team who could be replaced by younger, high potential talent funneling its way up the minor league ladder.

Mason Keith of Redbird Rants recently predicted the Cardinals would cut ties with lefty Steven Matz this season, even going as far as to say the veteran pitcher was the "most logical player to be moved by July."

"The most logical player to be moved by July is Steven Matz. The once-prominent starter is now a stopgap reliever for the Cardinals, which has saved him a spot on the Major League roster," Keith wrote. "After years of injuries and misfortunes following a four-year, $44 million contract, the veteran southpaw is now a relief pitcher who wants to reestablish himself as a reliable back-end starter.

"The Cardinals are adamant that their young player will be given opportunities to play this season, and this will remain the strategy going forward. Matz is in the last year of his contract and is in a current role that is hypothetically easy to replace. Another contending team looking to add depth to their rotation will be targeting Matz."

With Matz potentially eyeing a spot in another starting rotation this season, the Cardinals could take advantage of a pitching desperate market. They could look to send the veteran lefty to a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers or New York Yankees who could use him as a starter from time to time and a reliever at other times.

Either way, the Cardinals will likely shop him. Whether or not he's actually traded is still to be seen.

More MLB: Cardinals Should Trade For Struggling Star Pitcher From Braves

Published
Zach Pressnell
ZACH PRESSNELL

Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "St. Louis Cardinals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

Home/St. Louis Cardinals News