Cardinals Could Cut Ties With $44 Million Hurler In Red Sox Trade

Will the St. Louis Cardinals be buyers or sellers this July?

Sitting on the fringe of playoff contention, the Cards must weigh their roster priorities.

With a roster blending veterans and young talent, could the Cardinals move a key reliever to address roster needs while maintaining competitiveness?

The Boston Red Sox hope so. Boston must be thinking of ways to reinforce its bullpen, which has been overly reliant on Brennan Bernardino and Aroldis Chapman.

Could Boston poach Steven Matz from St. Louis? According to The Athletic's Katie Woo, the 34-year-old Matz might become available.

Woo recently noted, “Steven Matz could ... be a trade candidate, but St. Louis would have to find a viable solution to backfill his spot in the bullpen, especially if it’s contending.”

In 2025, Matz has posted a 3-2 record with a sparkling 2.66 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts over 40 2/3 innings out of the bullpen.

Now in the final year of a four-year, $44 million deal, Matz represents a cost-effective rental for a fringe contender like Boston.

Matz’s versatility—he’s thrived as both a starter and reliever—makes him an ideal fit to bridge games or handle setup duties for the Red Sox.

For St. Louis, moving Matz could open opportunities for younger arms.

If the Cardinals slip out of contention, they could target Boston’s prospect depth in a Matz deal.