Best fit for every Cardinals player who could be sold at the 2025 trade deadline

The 2025 MLB Trade Deadline is just days away, and the St. Louis Cardinals have a ton of trade assets that teams have interest in.

Some of them are on expiring contracts and are almost guaranteed to be traded, others have team control that allows the Cardinals to be patient if they don't get the right offers, and others have no-trade clauses that allow the player to control where they potentially land.

With time ticking on deals to get done, here are the best landing spots for each of the Cardinals' most tradable assets ahead of the July 31st trade deadline.

Steven Matz: New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are in the market to add more pitching to their roster, and Steven Matz could present them with a versatile option that can fill multiple roles for them while not costing them an arm and a leg to acquire.

On the season, the Yankees' bullpen has ranked among the bottom third of baseball in ERA, and while they need a bit more help from the right side than the left, Tim Hill is their lone shutdown lefty at the moment, and the club also could use a bit of starting pitching depth or length from their bullpen.

Lucky for the Yankees, Matz fits all three categories.

On the season, Matz has appeared in 30 games, spinning 53 innings for St. Louis to the tune of a 3.23 ERA, 3.08 xERA, and 2.90 FIP. Matz has started two games for the Cardinals, coming in as a shutdown lefty in high-leverage spots, and covered multiple innings for them when their bullpen needed it. In 19 of Matz's 28 relief appearances, he's recorded more than three outs for the Cardinals, and lefties are slashing just .188/.226/.238 off him on the year.

American League lineups this year don't boast the same kind of left-handed firepower that the National League does, but when October comes around, matchups are still king. The Yankees don't need to go out and grab a guy like JoJo Romero to add to their bullpen, but the utility that Matz would give them down the stretch and in October could be invaluable to the Yankees' chances at another run to the World Series.

Other fits: New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Diego Padres

Ryan Helsley: Philadelphia Phillies

Dave Dombrowski is never hesitant to make a splash and add to his team, and that's even more so the case as the Philadelphia Phillies look to capture their first World Series championship since 2008.

The Phillies recently went out and signed free agent David Robertson to add to their bullpen, but I fully expect Philadelphia to go out and add one more big-time arm to their relief core that has the fifth-worst ERA for right-handed relievers in baseball this year.

Orion Kerkering has been really good for the Phillies from the right side this year, but beyond him, the Phillies are basically crossing their fingers that Robertson is himself when he throws his first pitch of the 2025 season for them. With Matt Strahm and Tanner Banks locking things down from the left side, I expect them to add one more right-handed horse to the mix, and Ryan Helsley fits the bill.

It hasn't been Helsley's best year on the mound, but even so, he still sports a 3.00 ERA in 36 appearances this year. His fastball has become an extremely hittable pitch this year despite top-end velocity, as it has produced a -5 run value on the season. To Helsley's credit, though, he's regained his feel for his slider as the year has gone on, and it's back to being a truly elite pitch for him. If a team can get his fastball even somewhat back to normal, Helsley will be back to his dominant self that posted some of the best marks among all relievers over the past three seasons.

The Phillies like to go after those high-end names like Helsley as well, and with Emmanuel Clase off the board now due to the MLB investigation around potential sports betting violations, Helsley is likely the top option on the board. I could see the Phillies going for Helsley straight up, or potentially even exploring a package that brings them back other relievers or position players as well.

For the Cardinals, they need to move Helsley to the highest bidder, and that's what I fully expect them to do. Helsley could be someone they entertain bringing back this offseason if he really wants to be in St. Louis, but for now, the best thing for the organization is to add pieces for the future, rather than hoping that they can sneak into the postseason with Helsley as a part of their mix.

Other fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, and New York Yankees

Phil Maton: Houston Astros

Phil Maton has been one of the best signings of the offseason, and he just so happens to be the Cardinals' lone signing they made this winter.

Signed to a $2 million deal toward the end of spring training, Maton's impact on the Cardinals this year cannot be understated. In 40 appearances this year, Maton has a 2.35 ERA while striking out 30.4% of the batters he faces. Maton is in the 90th percentile or better in xERA, xBA, average exit velocity, Whiff%, K%, Barrel%, Hard-Hit%, and extension this year while also boasting a 51.1% groundball rate.

No, Maton won't blow you away with velocity, but he spins the ball better than almost anyone in today's game, and having that kind of unique and dynamic look out of a bullpen in today's game is such a weapon.

For the Astros, they acquired Maton at the 2021 trade deadline and had him for their postseason runs from 2021 to 2023. It would make a ton of sense for them to add a reliever as good as Maton that they are familiar with to their group once again, especially when their right-handed relievers sport a 4.18 ERA on the year. Between Maton, Josh Hader, and Bryan Abreu, opposing teams would have a very difficult time scoring off the Astros late in games.

The American League is wide open right now, and while the Astros are not the team they used to be, they have about as good a shot as anyone at winning the American League pennant this year. Maton won't come cheap, but he shouldn't cost them an arm and a leg either. With Houston's long-term future pretty uncertain, they really need to be aggressive with trying to win it all this year.

Side note, I would be fully on board with the Cardinals seeking a reunion with Maton this offseason. The price would be a lot steeper than the $2 million they paid him this year, but as long as his market doesn't get out of control, he is an excellent reliever who is from Chatham, Illinois, which is very close to St. Louis. Maton is someone the Cardinals had their eyes on for years, even before signing him this past offseason, so if he is interested in coming back to St. Louis this offseason, they should look into it.

Other fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Detroit Tigers

JoJo Romero: Toronto Blue Jays

While trading away the expiring bullpen arms is a decision that should be clear as day to John Mozeliak and the Cardinals' front office, one name that they are listening to offers on that should be moved as well is left-handed reliever JoJo Romero.

While things were rough to start 2025 for Romero out of the Cardinals' bullpen, it is not hyperbole to say that he's been one of the five best relievers in baseball since the month of May began. Romero's 2.12 ERA on the year is already extremely impressive, but since May 1st, he's allowed just one earned run and 17 hits in 27 games, posting a ridiculous 0.38 ERA that is second best among all relievers and almost a full run better than the next best left-handed reliever.

Romero is on an absolute heater right now, and the Cardinals should capitalize on that. He has one more year of club control remaining after this season, making him a very interesting piece for an opposing team to acquire. He's probably not going to be this could all year long, but he should be a very valuable piece to a contending bullpen.

While I have the Toronto Blue Jays as the fit here due to their lack of depth when it comes to left-handed bullpen arms, I could really see just about any contender adding him, especially National League teams.

First, for the Blue Jays, Brendon Little is their only true dynamic option out of the bullpen this year from the left side. Adding Romero would certainly change that, and having the extra year of club control would be great considering the number of free agents they have this coming offseason.

I would probably pick "the NL field here" when it comes to a Romero destination, though. The Phillies (Harper, Schwarber, and Marsh), Dodgers (Ohtani, Freeman, and Kim), Padres (Arraez, Merrill, and Cronenworth), Mets (Soto, McNeil, and Nimmo), Cubs (Tucker, Crow-Armstrong, and Busch), and even the Brewers (Frelick, Yelich, and Turang) find a ton of their production from the left side of the plate, so having a shutdown lefty like Romero could be kryptonite come October.

The Cardinals could hold onto him for their 2026 team or to explore a deal in the offseason, but they already made that mistake with Helsley at last year's deadline. They should strike while the iron is hot right now and get as much value as they can, and rely on their young bullpen arms or offseason acquisitions for 2026.

Other fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and San Diego Padres

Sonny Gray: Cincinnati Reds

One report came out yesterday that Sonny Gray wants to remain in St. Louis for at least the remainder of this year and is not looking to waive his no-trade clause, but I still think he's worth talking about since 1. No one else has confirmed this and 2. His name as been discussed by the Cardinals with other organizations.

This might be unpopular, but if Gray is moved at this year's trade deadline, watch out for the Cincinnati Reds to be the team to acquire him.

Mozeliak recently spoke with Gray about whether he'd waive his no-trade clause, and while Gray declined to comment publicly on what he said, reports that the Cardinals are having conversations with other teams on Gray suggest that he is open to a trade. Gray is from Nashville and values his family being close to home, so he may prioritize Cincinnati due to that proximity to home, like St. Louis has.

Gray already has history with the Reds. He pitched in Cincinnati from 2019-2021, finding great success in their ballpark and rehabilitating his stature as one of the best starters in baseball. Plus, the club reportedly was one of the first to talk to Gray last offseason, and he had them as one of his finalists before he signed with the Cardinals

The Reds have a lot of pitching options, but with Hunter Greene still working his way back from his injury and Chase Burns struggling big time in his short time at the MLB level, adding a dynamic starter like Gray to their mix would make a lot of sense for their postseason push.

Gray is a great clubhouse presence, someone who can be a mentor to Chase Burns, Andrew Abbott, and other young Reds pitchers, while hopefully bringing some stability to their rotation down the stretch. They'd obviously love it if Gray could pitch like a front-line starter, but unlike in St. Louis, they have other arms around him that don't put the pressure squarely on his shoulders to perform.

If not Cincinnati, other contenders would make sense. It is unclear how far away from Nashville Gray would be willing to go, but he did almost sign with the Arizona Diamondbacks before he ultimately went to St. Louis, so it's hard to know what he's truly open to or after.

The Cardinals would like to move on from Gray's contract if the deal makes sense, as Gray is set to make $35 million next year, has a $30 million mutual option with a $5 million buyout for 2027, and is owed the remainder of his $25 million deal this year. The Cardinals will have to pick up some of Gray's contract if they want real value in return, so we'll see how serious conversations get.

Other fits: San Diego Padres, Houston Astros, and Chicago Cubs

Brendan Donovan: Los Angeles Dodgers

Let me be clear, I don't think Brendan Donovan will be traded at this deadline, but the Cardinals are listening to offers on him, and the team that is both capable of blowing them away with an offer and may be most willing to actually do so is the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Over the weekend, reports came out that multiple teams would be interested in adding Donovan if he is made available, but the Dodgers' name is the one that came up the most. We all know how loaded the Dodgers are, and if they want to come get Donovan off the Cardinals' hands, they are fully capable of making the Cardinals an offer that they can't refuse.

I am skeptical that a team will make such an offer, though, as I believe the Cardinals are going to want a ton in return for Donovan, and rightfully so. Donovan is slashing .288/.358/.421 this season with nine home runs and 42 RBI in 99 games, good for a 121 wRC+ and 2.5 fWAR thus far. Donovan plays excellent defense at second base and can also fill in at a high level at third base, left field, right field, and even play a bit of shortstop or first base. Having that kind of bat, with that kind of flexibility defensively, is a huge asset for any club. He also has two years of club control remaining.

The Cardinals should be in no rush to move Donovan, but if their window for contention is multiple years away, they have to consider the right offer here. Again, I said consider the right offer, one that they can't refuse, not just giving him away to someone who wants him. A team is going to have to pry Donvoan away from the Cardinals.

Donovan's 120 wRC+ for his career in 473 games is tied for 52nd in baseball since he debuted in 2022, ahead of players like Trea Turner, Matt Chapman, Jackson Chourio, Elly De La Cruz, and many other bats that contending teams rely on heavily. Donovan is also a leader in the Cardinals clubhouse, something that cannot be quantified in numbers, and would be a huge asset to any team looking to add him.

The Dodgers are without Max Muncy right now and could really use someone to fill in at third base until he returns. This would allow the Dodgers to put Tommy Edman in the outfield (or Donovan out there) to replace Michael Conforto, who has been awful this year for them. Adding Donovan would be a jolt to an already great Dodgers lineup, giving them even more firepower as they look to win back-to-back World Series.

I do not expect Donovan to be traded, nor do I want him to be, but it's on the table if a team is aggressive enough.

Other fits: New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Toronto Blue Jays

Nolan Arenado: Philadelphia Phillies

Personally, I do not understand why other teams would want to add Nolan Arenado right now, so I remain skeptical that a deal will actually happen. But, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported that trade interest in Arenado may be picking up as many teams are in the market for a third baseman, so maybe he will actually be dealt.

Feinsand mentioned that the Cubs, Mariners, Tigers, Brewers, Phillies, Reds, and Astros are all interested in Eugenio Suarez after Ryan McMahon landed with the Yankees, but only one of those teams can grab him. So, they could pivot to Arenado if they miss out on Suarez.

The Astros general manager Dana Brown seemed to end any chance of Arenado ending up in Houston the other day with his comments on how Arenado's veto of a deal to the Astros went down this offseason, but with how uber thin the market is for quality third basemen, maybe a team can convince themselves that bringing in Arenado is worth the flyer.

That flyer would certainly require the Cardinals to eat a significant amount of Arenado's remaining contract. It's a complicated one, as the Rockies paid down $5 million of Arenado's deal for 2025 and 2026, so the Cardinals are on the hook for the remainder of the $27 million he's due this year prorated to the rest of the season, $22 million next year, and then $15 million in 2027. Arenado will be 35 next year and has already seen a steep decline offensively, so I would be very concerned as an opposing team that his bat will get even worse, not better.

Arenado has posted a .235/.295/.368 slash line in 2025 with just 10 home runs, resulting in an 85 wRC+ on the year. While his defense has remained top-notch, the bat is a real problem for someone making that much money. It's going to take a special team to grab Arenado, one that sees his offense as gravy, not essential, and could really use his defense.

The Phillies seem like a team that could fit that bill to me, as they have plenty of bats who can carry the offense, but could use better defense at third base. This would allow them to shop Alec Bohm as well for other upgrades they need to make.

Arenado must approve any deal the Cardinals agree to, though, limiting their options even further. It is unclear what teams he will be willing to go to, as many of the teams from "his list" are likely not interested.

My other sneaky pick would be the Angels, as it would be a chance for Arenado to return home, and the club is in the mix for a Wild Card spot right now.

Other fits: Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers, and Los Angeles Angels