3 Cardinals who won't survive MLB's Winter Meetings

It's been clear for quite some time that the St. Louis Cardinals are looking to offload some salary this offseason. Despite having a re-structured TV Deal with FanDuel Sports Network, the organization's finances aren't quite where owner Bill DeWitt Jr. wants them. Therefore, it's expected that at least one player with a guaranteed contract will depart this offseason.

Two key veterans in Willson Contreras, the team's new first baseman for 2025, and Sonny Gray have already indicated a desire to play for the Cardinals next year. However, several others haven't been as outspoken as these two leaders.

These three players could find themselves playing for another team in 2025 by the end of the Winter Meetings.

3B Nolan Arenado

Nolan Arenado feels like the most probable trade candidate on the roster among players with a no-trade clause. With both Contreras and Gray virtually off the board, he and Miles Mikolas are the only two remaining. Arenado feels more likely given Mikolas's recent performances.

Following his third-place finish in National League MVP voting in 2022, Arenado has slashed .269/.320/.426 with 42 home runs for a 104 OPS+. His defense came back to form in 2024 following a lackluster showing in 2023, and he's amassed 4.9 bWAR these last two years.

Arenado has three years and $74 million left on his contract, though the Colorado Rockies are chipping in $10 million, and there are some deferments attached. Teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Houston Astros could be interested in his services at the hot corner.

LHP Steven Matz

Steven Matz signed a 4-year, $44 million in 2021, and he's in the final year of that deal. Matz has fought injuries throughout his contract, and the most innings he pitched while wearing a Cardinal uniform came in 2023 when he threw 105 innings split between starting and relieving.

Matz's $12.5 million price tag for 2025 is manageable for most teams, and he provides value as a swingman; his relief numbers have actually been better than his numbers as a starter these past three seasons.

The number of teams looking for a left-handed veteran pitcher who can be either a starter or a reliever won't be short this winter, and the Cardinals could benefit from this market interest. Don't expect a top-100 prospect in exchange for Steven Matz, but the return won't be paltry by any means still.

RHP Erick Fedde

The Cardinals acquired Erick Fedde in a three-team trade at this past year's trade deadline for Tommy Edman. Fedde played six years in Major League Baseball before a brief hiatus in Korea in 2023 to reinvent himself. Prior to the trade deadline, Fedde had a 3.11 ERA in 121.2 innings with the Chicago White Sox.

Fedde's initial few starts with the Cardinals didn't go as planned, but he settled down the stretch and finished with a 3.72 ERA in 55.2 innings for St. Louis. He's on the books for just $7.5 million in 2025.

Fedde's manageable salary plus potential to be a mid-rotation starter should make him an interesting trade candidate this winter. Look for his name to pop up often once the Winter Meetings commence.