The St. Louis Cardinals have been riding a brutal slide — and it’s coming at the worst possible time. That may be just what the Yankees need to pull the trigger for some bullpen help from St. Louis before the trade deadline.
Losers of 11 of their last 15 games, the Cardinals now sit just two games above .500 with the trade deadline fast approaching. What once looked like a gritty second-half push toward October is starting to look like something else entirely — and the front office may have no choice but to consider selling.
Could Phil Maton pitch for the Yankees before the end of the Month?
And if the Cardinals go that route, Phil Maton could be one of the first names to move.
It might sound surprising, considering St. Louis was the only team to offer Maton a deal this past offseason. But sometimes the best moves are the ones that sneak up on people — and right now, the veteran reliever is quietly putting together a season that should have contenders paying attention.
One of those contenders? The New York Yankees.
The Bronx Bombers are expected to be aggressive at the deadline. And while their bullpen already features big names like Luke Weaver and Devin Williams (yes, that Devin Williams), adding a guy like Maton could give them one more weapon to lean on during the postseason grind. He’s not a closer — but he’s the kind of seventh- or eighth-inning arm that plays up in October.
Maton’s numbers this season tell the story: 37 appearances, 35.1 innings, 2.55 ERA, 2.52 FIP, and an impressive 11.5 K/9. He’s missing bats, limiting hard contact, and providing exactly what playoff teams crave — consistency from the pen.
For the Cardinals, moving Maton wouldn’t be about punting the season. It would be about asset management. The 31-year-old is a free agent at year’s end. If St. Louis isn’t surging by July 31, holding onto Maton just to lose him for nothing makes little sense.
The Yankees could offer one or two mid-tier prospects — nothing that breaks the farm system — and still land a high-leverage arm for the stretch run.
It’s not the kind of blockbuster move that dominates headlines. But for both teams? It might be exactly the kind of trade that makes sense right now.
