Article: Red Sox Trade for St. Louis Cardinals' Steven Matz

[Nick John]

The trade deadline is roughly 18 hours away, and the Red Sox have made their first trade in the wee hours of Thursday morning. In a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Red Sox are finalizing a trade to acquire left-handed reliever Steven Matz.

The deal is currently agreed to and is pending medical review to be finalized as first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan:

The return for Matz is corner infielder Blaze Jordan as first reported by Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Jordan, a former third-round pick in the 2020 draft, had made it to Triple-A Worcester this season after opening the year with Double-A Portland. Jordan was the Red Sox's 17th-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline, though an adjustment was surely due after his strong campaign.

In 87 games this season Jordan was hitting .304/.374/.494 with 22 doubles, a triple, 12 home runs and 61 RBIs. His promotion to Boston seemed unlikely, blocked at both first base and third base, and he was set to be Rule 5 Draft eligible for his second consecutive winter. Instead, the Red Sox get a left-handed reliever that has kept left-handed batters to a stat line of .179/.216/.226 in 89 plate appearances this season. Given Chaim Bloom's scheduled takeover of the Cardinals' front office this coming offseason, it's no surprise he targeted one of his former picks in Boston.

Matz has made 172 starts in his MLB career, though he's thrived as a reliever over the last 12 months in St. Louis. Expect the Red Sox to keep him in the bullpen for the second half.

More to come...

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[Duran Is The Man]

how the hell is he blocked at first base. this is ********. we don't have anybody at first.

[TedYazPapiMookie]

A solid left-handed reliever but nothing special.  He's been struggling with his control as of lately.  A bit surprised but he's got a decent record vs LH hitters so he has a role where we were short.

Hope Breslow in on the phone with Miami.

[Duran Is The Man]

6 minutes ago, TedYazPapiMookie said:

A solid left-handed reliever but nothing special.  He's been struggling with his control as of lately.  A bit surprised but he's got a decent record vs LH hitters so he has a role where we were short.

Hope Breslow in on the phone with Miami.

he also has a hampered by injuries for years. no wonder the Sox want him.

[moonslav59]

Matz has zero BBs in his last 7 IP. (6BB & 0 HBP in last 36 IP w 34 Ks, also a 3,15 FIP)

Season: 2.88 FIP and 3.44 ERA.

A .669 OPS Against for the 34 year old in 2025. That's better than Wilson, Weissert, Murphy & Alcala.

Maybe we do better with Matz than Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia. (He cost less.)

[Nick John]

58 minutes ago, Duran Is The Man said:

how the hell is he blocked at first base. this is ********. we don't have anybody at first.

The platoon of Romy/Abe right now, plus the fact that they're teaching Campbell first who they just signed to that extension, plus Casas will be back some point next season. He was never going to play in Boston

[mvp 78]

8 hours ago, Duran Is The Man said:

how the hell is he blocked at first base. this is ********. we don't have anybody at first.

He wasn't blocked. They just didn't like his profile. Casas is coming back next year presumably to take over fulltime. I wouldn't count on it though. I'm not sure the Sox are either at this point. 

[Nick]

MassLive believes Matz will simply replace Bernardino for now. Apparently Bernardino is overtaxed and needs a break.

Matz has pitched well against the lefties but this move seems like a side way deal. It's hard for me to get excited about. Typical Red Sox GM move.

Meanwhile in Philadelphia, THE REAL MAN is improving his playoff bound team. Bunch of Ivy League sissies in Sox organization. Get me a man.

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, Nick said:

MassLive believes Matz will simply replace Bernardino for now. Apparently Bernardino is overtaxed and needs a break.

Matz has pitched well against the lefties but this move seems like a side way deal. It's hard for me to get excited about. Typical Red Sox GM move.

Meanwhile in Philadelphia, THE REAL MAN is improving his playoff bound team. Bunch of Ivy League sissies in Sox organization. Get me a man.

Having a good bullpen is important tho???

[Hitch]

8 minutes ago, Nick said:

MassLive believes Matz will simply replace Bernardino for now. Apparently Bernardino is overtaxed and needs a break.

Matz has pitched well against the lefties but this move seems like a side way deal. It's hard for me to get excited about. Typical Red Sox GM move.

Meanwhile in Philadelphia, THE REAL MAN is improving his playoff bound team. Bunch of Ivy League sissies in Sox organization. Get me a man.

Because the Sox and the Phillies are in the exact same position. 

[Nick]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Having a good bullpen is important tho???

Very much, but if we are switching out Matz for Bernardino, it's only a good move if Bernardino is pitching poorly because of over usage.

[Nick]

2 minutes ago, Hitch said:

Because the Sox and the Phillies are in the exact same position. 

Hey Hitch, Sox needs to do MORE than what the Phillies are doing. We are close to getting into the playoffs. Then what? A hope and a prayer?

We will have wasted one year of production from 26 players on the roster if we don't do everything we can to improve our chance of success. That probably means nothing to you.

We think differently.

[Hitch]

1 minute ago, Nick said:

Hey Hitch, Sox needs to do MORE than what the Phillies are doing. We are close to getting into the playoffs. Then what? A hope and a prayer?

We will have wasted one year of production from 26 players on the roster if we don't do everything we can to improve our chance of success. That probably means nothing to you.

the We think differently.

The Phillies are building on a team that is very much in win now mode and has been deep into the play offs 3 years running as well as a WS appearance. 

We were building on nothing. It takes time, and moves that might suit a team as talented as the Phillies aren't necessarily what we need right now when we're just coming to the start of our window, or should be doing with our prospect capital. 

Duran would have been great. I think we'll be doing small ball stuff and looking to do the big stuff in the off season again. 

[jgar658]

Blaze Jordan has lots of power.  I hope we did not let a good one get away.

[Bellhorn04]

26 minutes ago, Hitch said:

Because the Sox and the Phillies are in the exact same position. 

They're actually not that far apart, excluding the 'urgency' factor.  Philly is 3 games ahead of us in the overall standings.  We have a better run differential.

[Nick]

7 minutes ago, jgar658 said:

Blaze Jordan has lots of power.  I hope we did not let a good one get away.

He was a rule 5 candidate. Better to get something now and lose out on everything just because we don't have a room in 40 man roster.

Remember that all the 60 day IL guys come back to the 40 man roster in off season. (can someone fact check on this?)

[Nick]

2 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

They're actually not that far apart, excluding the 'urgency' factor.  Philly is 3 games ahead of us in the overall standings.  We have a better run differential.

I would hang onto our top starting pitching prospects but everyone else would be tradeable.

[Nick]

I know this sounds preposterous, do we tinker during off season to work in Anthony at 1B?

That would allow the team to maintain our 3 outfielders, Duran, Rafael and Abreu.

I would sign Bregman and go after Schwarber as a DH.

That would be a heck of starting line up. Getting a full time 1B really doesn't improve the team next year if one of 4 outfielders has to sit. 

[Hitch]

9 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

They're actually not that far apart, excluding the 'urgency' factor.  Philly is 3 games ahead of us in the overall standings.  We have a better run differential.

We are not at the same evolution of competing. 

Season or two's time hopefully we will be far ahead of them. 

[Bellhorn04]

3 minutes ago, Nick said:

I know this sounds preposterous, do we tinker during off season to work in Anthony at 1B?

That would allow the team to maintain our 3 outfielders, Duran, Rafael and Abreu.

I would sign Bregman and go after Schwarber as a DH.

That would be a heck of starting line up. Getting a full time 1B really doesn't improve the team next year if one of 4 outfielders has to sit. 

That idea has probably been discussed in the Sox offices.

[Bellhorn04]

1 minute ago, Hitch said:

We are not at the same evolution of competing. 

Season or two's time hopefully we will be far ahead of them. 

Your outlook is much more linear than mine.  I believe there's much too much chaos to think linear all the time.  And we look like a team that might be getting hot at the right time.  That said, I do believe the Phils feel more urgency because of their massive payroll and key players getting older etc.  

[notin]

4 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Your outlook is much more linear than mine.  I believe there's much too much chaos to think linear all the time.  And we look like a team that might be getting hot at the right time.  That said, I do believe the Phils feel more urgency because of their massive payroll and key players getting older etc.  

Suarez and Schwarber will be free agents.  Wheeler is talking about retiring. Nola is already falling apart.  And they had no closer.  Oh and the Mets are right there.

 

Their urgency is not surprising…

 

[Bellhorn04]

3 minutes ago, notin said:

Suarez and Schwarber will be free agents.  Wheeler is talking about retiring. Nola is already falling apart.  And they had no closer.  Oh and the Mets are right there.

 

Their urgency is not surprising…

 

desperate dave!

[mvp 78]

59 minutes ago, Nick said:

Very much, but if we are switching out Matz for Bernardino, it's only a good move if Bernardino is pitching poorly because of over usage.

He's already thrown 43 innings this year. His previous MLB high is 51 innings................

[mvp 78]

12 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

desperate dave!

A little desperation from our CBO would be nice once in a while though!

[Nick]

We all want the same thing. Just have difference of opinion on how to get there.

I always think in terms of 'window of opportunity' based on player controlled years.

I do believe our clock starts no later than April 1, 2026, coinciding with Crochet's 6 year contract and the player controlled years of Anthony, Mayer, Campbell, Rafaela, Narvaez, Abreu and Duran.

But if we can sneak one in this year, I'm not opposed to it. No trading high level starting pitching prospects. We need everyone of them.

[FredLynn]

1 hour ago, Nick said:

I know this sounds preposterous, do we tinker during off season to work in Anthony at 1B?

That would allow the team to maintain our 3 outfielders, Duran, Rafael and Abreu.

I would sign Bregman and go after Schwarber as a DH.

That would be a heck of starting line up. Getting a full time 1B really doesn't improve the team next year if one of 4 outfielders has to sit. 

I wouldn’t be giving up on Casas at 1B. He had a slow start this year before he blew out his knee but he really never got a chance to show what he has, if anything. 

[FredLynn]

35 minutes ago, Nick said:

We all want the same thing. Just have difference of opinion on how to get there.

I always think in terms of 'window of opportunity' based on player controlled years.

I do believe our clock starts no later than April 1, 2026, coinciding with Crochet's 6 year contract and the player controlled years of Anthony, Mayer, Campbell, Rafaela, Narvaez, Abreu and Duran.

But if we can sneak one in this year, I'm not opposed to it. No trading high level starting pitching prospects. We need everyone of them.

Henry needs to stop being a cheapskate and be willing to spend all the $250M he’s saving after trading the malcontent away.

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

I wouldn’t be giving up on Casas at 1B. He had a slow start this year before he blew out his knee but he really never got a chance to show what he has, if anything. 

He has been in BOS since '22. He has played in over 250 G. To say he has never been given a chance is ridiculous. 

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

Henry needs to stop being a cheapskate and be willing to spend all the $250M he’s saving after trading the malcontent away.

Sure, he's got over a decade to spend that money to make up for it.