The St. Louis Cardinals are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline, with the plan to ship off some of their relievers as their top trade assets. While Ryan Helsley is a longtime Cardinal and doesn’t want to part with the team, another reliever feels the same way.
In a piece from Katie Woo of The Athletic, Cardinals reliever Phil Maton shared his thoughts on the trade deadline and his involvement in the team’s trade rumors. He shared he’s ready for a trade, and how he’ll make the most of being dealt again at the deadline.
“You just have to try to look at it as a positive,” Maton said. “It’s not always what you want to do, but it’s always something to learn. There’s always an opportunity to improve, and there’s always different personnel where you go. So you just try to make the most of all those opportunities.”
He’s approaching the trade deadline with a positive mindset, which is easier for him to do after his involvement in trades over the years. Back in 2019, Maton was traded from the San Diego Padres to the Cleveland Guardians for international bonus money.
Two years later, he was dealt from the Guardians to the Houston Astros for Myles Straw. He played in Houston for a few seasons before signing with the Tampa Bay Rays and eventually heading to the New York Mets in the middle of the year.
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Now, in his 9th MLB season, Maton is slated to be on the move once more, and this time, his market is at its best. The 32-year-old right-hander is having his best season of his big league career.
Maton has a 2.35 ERA in 38.1 innings this season with 48 strikeouts and one home run allowed. His 178 ERA+ is the highest it’s been in his career, and his ERA is also the lowest it’s been in his career.
He’s drawing interest from teams around baseball and is likely to be traded, so much so that Maton’s wife, Katelynn, has started packing their St. Louis apartment, according to Woo’s article.
The Cardinals’ veteran journeyman reliever is expected to be dealt at the deadline, and while it’s a turbulent time, Maton is approaching things from a positive mindset. If he’s moved, it’ll be the fourth time he’s switched teams mid-season, and the second year in a row where he’s done so.
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