Yankees-Cardinals Blockbuster? Why Trade Deadline Deal Makes Sense

The St. Louis Cardinals have been through the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows this season. Unfortunately for the Cardinals faithful, the lowest of the lows is happening at the worst possible time.

The Cardinals have lost 11 of their last 15 games and sit just two games over .500 with under two weeks to go before the trade deadline.

Because of this losing stretch, paired with the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs dominating the division, the Cardinals could be forced to wave the white flag on the season and enter sell mode.

If that's going to be the case, reliever Phil Maton will almost certainly land on the trade block, which might seem as a surprise considering the Cardinals were the only team in baseball to offer him a contract before the year.

The New York Yankees are bound to be aggressive buyers at the deadline and could target affordable bullpen help. The Bronx Bombers don't need a closer like Ryan Helsley considering they have Devin Williams and Luke Weaver on the roster, but adding Maton could boost their bullpen quite a bit.

On the season, Maton has made 37 appearances and tossed 35 1/3 innings for St. Louis. In that time, he holds a 2.55 ERA, 2.52 FIP, and impressive 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings. He's generating a lot of swings and misses while limiting hard contact.

The Yankees could part ways with one or two mid level prospects to bring Maton in for the rest of the season. It would be a move that helps them make a World Series push in the coming months. For the Cardinals, trading Maton would be much more beneficial than holding him and losing the righty in free agency at the end of the year.