Grading Cardinals' 2025 Trade Deadline: Rental relievers make way for Chaim Bloom

The final trade deadline buzzer has sounded, and the St. Louis Cardinals wrapped up the proceedings by making three trades in the final 24 hours.

Nothing they did was particularly surprising — it was long expected they would deal their three rental relievers if they chose to sell — and the returns they received were solid, yet unspectacular.

With Chaim Bloom set to take over for John Mozeliak at the end of the season, this was clearly a "kicking the can down the road" type of trade deadline. The team brought in assets for its rental pieces, though the work of shaping this roster for the future has just begun.

Grading each of the Cardinals' 2025 trade deadline deals

Trade: Erick Fedde traded to Atlanta Braves for PTBNL or cash

This was technically a trade deadline deal, coming just a few days before the final buzzer sounded on July 31, though it's not really deserving of a grade for our purposes.

Fedde was an outright disaster in St. Louis, pitching to a 5.22 ERA in just over 100 innings with the franchise before Atlanta mercifully took him off their hands. Getting a player to be named later or (more likely) cash considerations for him is about as good as the franchise could have hoped.

Grade: N/A

Trade: Steven Matz traded to Boston Red Sox for Blaze Jordan

From the Red Sox's perspective, this deal really doesn't make much sense. They now have five left-handed relievers in their bullpen, and Matz is the third one who is due to be a free agent at the end of the season. Blaze Jordan was blocked by a glut of infielders, but it's hard to explain why Craig Breslow made this one of just two deals in his deadline haul.

No matter. For the Cardinals, this represented solid value for a good-not-great rental reliever in a market flush with players of that archetype. Jordan is a corner-infield prospect experiencing a breakout campaign, slashing .308/.377/.395 across two levels in Boston's system. His .821 OPS in 44 games at Triple-A this year portends a quick path to the big leagues, if the Cardinals want to get him some reps before the year is out.

Grade: B+

Trade: Ryan Helsley traded to New York Mets for Jesus Baez, Frank Elissalt and Nate Dohm

Given the obscene prices for closers at the deadline this year, this package qualifies as underwhelming, even when considering Helsley's rental status.

Of course, the Cardinals didn't have the pleasure of doing business with the mad men out in San Diego (A.J. Preller) or Philadelphia (Dave Dombrowski), but they still could have gotten more for a pitcher armed with one of baseball's best fastballs who has 105 saves and a 2.67 ERA in his career.

All three prospects the Cardinals acquired have yet to reach Double-A, and only Baez cracks their top ten according to MLB Pipeline. Now, Baez is a 20-year-old infielder with a .743 OPS in High-A this season, but this package is filled with too many unknowns for someone as valuable as Helsley.

Grade: C

Trade: Phil Maton traded to Texas Rangers for Skylar Hales and Mason Molina

The final deal completed by Mozeliak at his final deadline, Maton was perhaps the most obvious trade chip on the Cardinals. Also a rental, he authored a 2.35 ERA and 30.5% strikeout rate in 38 1/3 innings in St. Louis this season.

In exchange for their excellent reliever, the Cardinals received a pair of high-upside pitchers. Molina, 22, reached High-A with the Rangers while pitching to the tune of a 3.41 ERA and 30.5% strikeout rate in 74 innings. Meanwhile, Hales, 23, has struggled this season (7.64 ERA in 33 innings), though he was great in Double-A last season (2.10 ERA in 30 innings).

Considering the Cardinals picked up Maton during spring training, it's hard to dislike this deal, regardless of whether the prospects become needle-movers.

Grade: A-