The 2024 offseason is shaping up to be a significant one for the St. Louis Cardinals. Rather than focusing on adding players to contend in 2025, the team has made it clear that their priority will be giving younger players more playing time. As a result, winning may not be as central to their approach as it has been in previous seasons.
This shift in direction means that the Cardinals will allow older players like Paul Goldschmidt, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson to walk in free agency. Additionally, veterans already under contract could be placed on the trade block. While not all of them may be moved, they will certainly be available for trade.
Nolan Arenado’s name has been frequently mentioned in trade talks, and Ryan Helsley is considered one of the top relievers available. Although Sonny Gray has a full no-trade clause, he could still be traded. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (subscription required) introduced another potential trade candidate—Steven Matz.
Goold reported, “They expect to field interest in several pitchers, including Ryan Helsley and Steven Matz.”
Matz aligns with the type of player the Cardinals might look to trade. As a 10-year veteran, he seems unlikely to have a long-term future in St. Louis. Trading him for a younger player seems like a logical move, but the challenge is that Matz will be difficult to trade.
Steven Matz joins long list of Cardinals on trade block, but he’ll be harder to move than others
When the Cardinals signed Steven Matz to a four-year contract before the 2022 season, they hoped he would be a dependable back-end starter. However, with a 4.47 ERA over 52 appearances (37 starts), Matz has largely been inconsistent in his first three years with the team. His struggles on the field have been compounded by significant time missed due to injuries.
Injuries, unfortunately, have been a recurring issue for Matz throughout his career. In his 10 seasons in the MLB, he has only made more than 22 starts three times. While he has had some strong seasons, he was performing well for much of 2023 before an injury cut his season short.
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