(ST. LOUIS) – The St. Louis Cardinals made clear their commitment to rebuilding for the future Wednesday night, trading away two veteran players in separate deals that netted the club four minor league prospects.
In the most significant move, the Cardinals dealt their longest-tenured player and two-time All-Star closer Ryan Helsley to the New York Mets in exchange for three prospects: 20-year-old infielder Jesus Baez (the Mets’ No. 8 prospect), 22-year-old right-handed pitcher Nate Dohm (No. 14 prospect), and 23-year-old right-handed reliever Frank Elissalt.
Helsley, who holds the Cardinals’ single-season saves record, represented the last link to the organization’s recent contending years. His departure signals a clear shift toward building for 2026, when current advisor Chaim Bloom is set to take over as president of baseball operations from departing executive John Mozeliak.
The Cardinals also shipped left-handed pitcher Steven Matz to the Boston Red Sox for minor league first baseman Blaze Jordan.
The 34-year-old Matz proved valuable in his final season of a four-year, $44 million contract signed before 2022. He posted a 5-2 record with a 3.44 ERA across 32 appearances, showcasing his versatility as a long reliever, left-handed specialist, and spot starter. In two starts this season, Matz was particularly effective, going 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA and 11 strikeouts over nine innings.
Jordan’s connection to the Cardinals runs through Bloom, who was running the Red Sox front office when Boston selected the first baseman in the 2020 MLB Draft.
In a last-minute move before Thursday’s trade deadline, the Texas Rangers successfully acquired right-handed reliever Phil Maton from the St. Louis Cardinals, addressing their bullpen needs while the Cardinals avoided losing the veteran to free agency without compensation.
Maton takes impressive 2025 credentials to Arlington, posting a 2.35 ERA across 40 appearances and 38⅓ innings pitched. His advanced metrics tell an equally compelling story, with a 2.49 FIP and 1.12 WHIP demonstrating consistent effectiveness.
St. Louis receives a package of future assets in return: pitching prospects Mason Molina and Skylar Hales, plus additional international signing bonus pool money. The move allows the Cardinals to extract value from Maton’s expiring contract rather than risk losing him for nothing in free agency.
The deal exemplifies classic deadline strategy—a contending team acquiring proven talent while a rebuilding club stockpiles prospects for the future.
The moves also represent a dramatic shift for a Cardinals organization that was once a perennial World Series contender, now fully committed to rebuilding around young talent as they prepare for new leadership in 2026.
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