The St. Louis Cardinals traded veteran left-hander Steven Matz to the Boston Red Sox for minor league first baseman Blaze Jordan on Wednesday night, just ahead of the 2025 MLB trade deadline.
Steven Matz, 34, has been a valuable asset for the Cardinals in 2025, particularly in his transition to a hybrid role. After spending most of his career as a starter, Matz thrived as a reliever this season, making 30 of his 32 appearances out of the bullpen. He posted a 3.44 ERA over 55 innings, with 47 strikeouts and a stingy .179 batting average against left-handed hitters. His ability to work multiple innings—over half of his relief outings spanned more than one inning—made him an attractive option for the Red Sox, who plan to deploy him in a multi-inning bullpen role.
Matz’s 2025 campaign was a rebound from a challenging tenure in St. Louis. Signed to a four-year, $44 million contract before the 2022 season, he struggled with injuries, including elbow and knee issues that limited him to 15 games in 2022. His ERAs of 3.86 in 2023 and 5.08 in 2024 cost him his spot in the rotation, but his health and adaptability in 2025 restored his value. “He’s done everything we’ve asked, and he’s handled every bit of it extremely well,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said of Matz’s versatility.
For Boston, Matz adds depth to a bullpen already featuring left-handers like Justin Wilson, Aroldis Chapman, Brennan Bernardino, and Chris Murphy. With approximately $4.1 million remaining on his contract, Matz is a rental for the Red Sox, as he becomes a free agent after the season. The team, clinging to an American League wild-card spot, sees Matz as a reliable arm to bolster their postseason push.
In return, the Cardinals acquire Blaze Jordan, a 22-year-old first baseman with significant offensive upside. Selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft, Jordan was ranked as Boston’s No. 17 prospect by MLB.com and No. 20 by The Athletic’s Keith Law. Known for his raw power—famously hitting a 500-foot home run at age 12—Jordan has shown promise in the minors, slashing .308 with a .872 OPS, 12 home runs, and 62 RBIs across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025.
Jordan’s performance dipped slightly after his promotion to Triple-A Worcester, where he posted a .809 OPS compared to a .928 OPS in Double-A. His free-swinging approach has raised questions about his consistency at higher levels, but his 139 wRC+ and thunderous bat make him a high-upside addition to the Cardinals’ system.
The trade holds additional intrigue due to the involvement of Chaim Bloom, who drafted Jordan while serving as Boston’s chief baseball officer in 2020. Bloom, set to take over as the Cardinals’ President of Baseball Operations in 2026, was reportedly fond of Jordan during the 2020 draft, making this a reunion of sorts.
