A trade that is deemed the “weirdest” trade for the Red Sox just may be a boon for the Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals entered MLB trade deadline week with one goal in mind: build for the future by flipping expiring contracts for young talent. And boy, did they make some noise with what is called by one baseball insider, the “weirdest” trade of the year. With free agents-to-be like Steven Matz, Ryan Helsley, and Phil Maton on the block, the Cardinals didn’t wait around—they got busy reshaping their roster and adding some intriguing pieces to their farm system.
The Cardinals made three trades, all of them signaling a full-on retool. Ryan Helsley? Gone to the Mets. Phil Maton? Shipped to Texas. But the, “Weirdest,” —yes, the one everyone’s buzzing about—was the deal with the Boston Red Sox that sent Steven Matz packing and brought in corner infield prospect Blaze Jordan.
Now hang on, because this wasn’t just any prospect-for-veteran trade. This prospect comes with some raised eyebrows. Blaze Jordan is no slouch—he’s 22, crushing it between Double-A and Triple-A, and slashing .304/.373/.486 this season. Oh, and did we mention he overlapped with incoming Cardinals executive Chaim Bloom back in Boston? Yeah, the dots connect.
Chaim Bloom Grabs His Guy at the Trade Deadline
Meanwhile, the Red Sox? They gave up Jordan for 34-year-old Matz, a converted starter with a $12.5 million price tag and just a few months left before hitting free agency. That’s why The Athletic’s Jim Bowden flat-out called it the “weirdest trade” of the deadline. His words, not ours.
But for St. Louis? It’s a savvy move. Matz wasn’t coming back in 2026. This was the textbook definition of turning an expiring asset into a potential building block. Blaze Jordan could be knocking on the big-league door before the season’s out—and you better believe Cardinals fans are hoping he kicks it down.
So, while Boston might’ve made a puzzling play, the Cardinals added a high-upside bat and kept stacking for the future. Deadline week may be over, but St. Louis is clearly playing the long game. And Blaze Jordan? He might be the one who makes this deal look like a steal.
