5 Cardinals most at risk of being traded this offseason

#5 - Steven Matz

Speaking of those starters that we all have speculated that the Cardinals should move on from, Steven Matz seems like the least likely of the bunch to be moved as of right now, at least in my opinion.

Matz has one year remaining on his contract at about $12.5 million, and while it has no doubt been a bad tenure here in St. Louis, Matz provides the Cardinals with versatility that other starters they could move on from don't, and he's already under contract.

Matz should not be seen as one of their five starters entering camp this spring, but he is someone they could have in their back pocket as rotation depth and even hope that he gets back to his old self and could steal a rotation spot in the process. But assuming he doesn't, Matz would be a solid option to plug into the rotation when an injury occurs, and when the rotation does not need him, he can provide solid innings for St. Louis out of the bullpen.

While the left side of the bullpen was a strength for St. Louis in 2024, it's hard to know what the trio of JoJo Romero, John King, and Matthew Liberatore will be in 2025. Romero's fall off since the middle of the summer has been alarming, and so while he should still be an option for them next year, it would not shock me at all if he implodes next season. King has been really solid this year, but his profile will always be one that you worry about sustaining. And who knows how the Cardinals want to use Liberatore next year? We assume in the bullpen, but maybe he gets a chance to start again?

My point is that it really wouldn't be a bad idea to have Matz around as depth for both the rotation and bullpen. But with that being said, they should be open to offers in case another club has significant interest in Matz.

If they are able to move the entire contract or majority of the deal, it would be hard to pass on that kind of opportunity. The injury history that Matz has had in St. Louis is extensive, so moving that $12.5 million knowing that there is a good chance he hits the IL at some point next season makes a lot of sense.

When you compare his situation to that of Mikolas, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn, it's easy for me to see why he'd be the one to keep. Mikolas has been far more harmful to team performance, and the opportunity to move any of that money would be a big win. Gibson and Lynn are more valuable starters than Matz, but Matz can come out of the bullpen and the Cardinals can let their money roll off the books, unlike Matz.

I would not be shocked at all if Matz is traded this offseason, I just think it's less likely than the next starter that we will discuss.