Cardinals Hurler Reportedly Could Be Trade Candidate In Bigger Deal For Rotation Help

The St. Louis Cardinals already have added three new starting pitchers but they may not be done yet.

St. Louis already has improved its rotation after a disastrous 2023 season but there is still work to be done. The Cardinals likely now will be pursuing help through the trade market rather than free agency and there are some intriguing players available. 

If the Cardinals were to complete a deal for a starter, one player who could be traded away is pitcher Steven Matz, according to MLB.com's John Denton.

"What the Cardinals are likely still pondering is what to do with lefty starter Steven Matz, who saw his second straight season in St. Louis marred by injuries," Denton said. "Following a rocky start and a bullpen demotion, Matz pitched well over a seven-start stretch before injuries hit again. Could the Cards flip his relatively modest $11 million annual salary to the cost-cutting Rays (for Tyler Glasnow), to the White Sox (for Dylan Cease), or to the Twins (for long-time St. Louis target Pablo López)?"

St. Louis is an intriguing team to look out for next year. The Cardinals' offense is very solid and with an improved rotation could make some noise in 2024. Adding Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson is a very good start. Adding another hurler through trade -- like Glasnow, Cease, or López -- would be a perfect place to start. The Cardinals could pair Matz with an outfielder like Tyler O'Neill or Dylan Carlson, and some prospects to get a deal done.