Cardinals To Receive Trade Interest In $44 Million Vet, Per Insider

Will the Cardinals actually end up making a trade involving the veteran?

Mar 31, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Steven Matz (32) throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals very well could look different by the time the 2025 season rolls around.

It seems very likely that a youth movement is on the way in St. Louis. The Cardinals didn't have the season that they hoped to in 2024. The Cardinals finished the season above .500, but they missed the playoffs for the second straight season.

Now, it seems like some major changes are coming. St. Louis wants to improve its farm system, with Chaim Bloom tasked to do so before he takes over the president of baseball operations job after the 2025 season.

One way to accomplish this will be trading veterans for prospects, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold said St. Louis will "receive interest" in a possible trade involving veteran hurler Steven Matz.

"Some of them, yes," Goold said. "The Cardinals will receive interest in Matz, especially as teams see his salary and contribution as either a starter or reliever. And he does not have the no-trade protection of the other players you mention by plane. The Cardinals are going to explore conversations for those players with other teams."

Matz has spent the last three seasons as a member of the Cardinals. He has appeared in 52 games with the club -- including 34 starts. Over that stretch, he logged a 4.47 ERA. Matz signed a four-year, $44 million deal ahead of the 2022 season and is entering the final season of the deal.

St. Louis could use him in 2025, but it wouldn't be shocking to see another team at least put a call in.

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