8 Cardinals who should be playing their final games for St. Louis this weekend

Steven Matz

Steven Matz has got to be one of the most frustrating signings in recent memory for the Cardinals.

Obviously, the results have been bad and the contract has been a big waste, but what really adds to the frustration has been Matz's ability to capture real success at times both in the rotation and in the bullpen, but it never seems to last. He even gets injured again or completely loses that groove.

In theory, Matz could come back as a swingman for the Cardinals next year, filling into the rotation as needed but mainly being used out of the bullpen. Is that ideal for your $12.5 million man? Not at all. But it's a role that can provide value for the Cardinals in 2025 and that's all you can really hope for from Matz at this point.

Even so, if the Cardinals can find a suitor that will take on even just half of Matz's contract for 2025, that feels like the route to go. With the amount of injuries he has sustained in the first three years of his deal, it's hard to trust Matz will even be healthy enough to cover those innings as needed for the club.

Matz does provide more versatility than other Cardinal veteran starters with contracts. I can see how Matz finds a role in the bullpen next year for St. Louis, but I do not see Gibson, Lynn, or Mikolas being able to provide value there. Even so, that versatility should be used as a part of trade talks and getting someone to take some of his salary off your books, not a reason to hold onto him.