The St. Louis Cardinals are poised to be one of the most intriguing sellers at the 2025 MLB trade deadline. While the team looked to be buyers potentially in June, things have taken a drastic change, as the Cardinals are now 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot after losing 11 of their last 15 games.
If the team does end up selling, MLB insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic believes there are three relievers who the team is most willing to trade at the deadline. Those three all have one thing in common: they’re on expiring contracts.
“… They’ll also be open to selling with relievers Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton, and Steven Matz all impending free agents.” Bowden wrote. “Helsley has the most trade value, and the Mets and Phillies could get into a bidding war if St. Louis decides to trade him.”
The Cardinals, if they end up selling, could move all three relievers at the deadline. Maton and Matz are veterans who’ve been around the league, while Helsley is the longest tenured Cardinal on the roster.
Moving on from him would be the end of an era in St. Louis, but with plenty of teams interested in him, he could fetch a strong return on the market. And with Helsley set to hit free agency, he could always return for 2026 and beyond if he and the Cardinals work something out after his stint on his new team.
MORE: Trio of Cardinals relievers most likely to be moved at MLB trade deadline
He’s been solid this season, with a 3.18 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 34 innings of work. His 19 saves, five blown, aren’t on pace to match his MLB-leading 49 saves in 2024. But his production is still good enough to bring home a strong return if traded.
Matz is a journeyman who can be a multi-inning reliever thanks to his starting experience. He has a 3.29 ERA this season in 52 innings pitched. A solid number for a versatile reliever.
Maton, meanwhile, has the best ERA of the bunch. His 2.55 ERA in 35.1 innings for St. Louis is the best mark of the Cardinals relievers who could be moved. He’s struck out 45 batters and could draw interest from teams looking for a reasonable rental option.
He’s not been this great historically, as his 2.55 ERA is the best mark of any season he’s had so far, and is far better than his 4.03 career ERA. He was great with the New York Mets in 2024, with a 2.51 ERA in 28.2 innings.
Maton and Matz are cheaper rental options, while Helsley is a closer who’s shown dominant stuff in his big-league career. Regardless of what each goes for, all three could be on the move this July.
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