Aug 5, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Matt Svanson (49) delivers during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images William Liang-Imagn Images

Cardinals Writer Praises Under-The-Radar 2023 Trade To Land Shutdown Reliever

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Sep 12, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals were sellers this year at the trade deadline, sending rental relievers Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton and Steven Matz to contending ballclubs once they had fallen out of the race. The players they picked up likely won't be ready to help them until a few years down the road due to their rebuild. They took a similar approach in 2023 when they were in last place in the National League Central.

One trade they made was to send shortstop Paul DeJong to the Toronto Blue Jays. That deal landed them right-hander Matt Svanson. It wasn't a flashy move by any means, at least at the time. However, it's worked out quite well for them.

Josh Jacobs of Redbird Rants recently praised the Cardinals for this trade and how well it has worked out for them.

Cardinals Writer Praises Matt Svanson Trade

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

"When the Cardinals acquired Svanson, it totally made sense why fans and prospect pundits weren't all that impressed with the move. The fact that the Cardinals got anything in return for DeJong was a plus, but a 24-year-old reliever who had never pitched above High-A isn't exactly a promising profile," Jacobs wrote.

"After being added to the 40-man roster this offseason, Svanson got his first taste of big league action and has been nothing short of awesome for the Cardinals this year. He's appeared in 32 games while covering 50.1 innings of work to the tune of a 1.97 ERA and 2.96 FIP. He's not a major strikeout guy, but he limits baserunners with his 0.83 WHIP and .145 batting average against."

Svanson is 3-0 on the season and now has a 1.90 ERA in his 33 appearances. He is averaging 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings and also has posted a 0.846 WHIP in 52 innings of work. The 26-year-old right-hander has been a pleasant surprise for St. Louis.

It didn't seem like much at the time, but this may ultimately end up being one of John Mozeliak's best moves as president of baseball operations. Svanson has pitched his way into the Cardinals 2026 plans and should be a key piece of the bullpen next year.

It will be interesting to see how he performs the rest of 2025 and what he can do to ensure a spot on the roster next season. He's certainly been a pleasant surprise for St. Louis.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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