Cardinals hoping to trade former NY Mets player Steve Cohen was willing to pay

You don’t say “no” to Steve Cohen. It was only three years ago when the New York Mets owner was much more active on social media, arguably a little too much in voicing his pain and pleasure of the team. The first year of his reign in 2021 was especially fun as he regularly had something to say.

He didn’t slow down after the season ended. Just ahead of the MLB lockout, the Mets were eager to spend some money. They’d eventually have a spree of signing Mark Canha, Eduardo Escobar, and Starling Marte all in one day. Shortly after, Max Scherzer inked a deal with the Mets right before the lockout began.

But before Scherzer, there was Steven Matz. A deal was apparently agreed upon between Matz’s agent and the Mets only for him to turn it down and sign with the St. Louis Cardinals. Cohen publicly called the agent unprofessional. Flash forward just over three years later, the Cardinals are hoping to rid themselves of the final $12.5 million owed to the former Mets pitcher. He is reportedly on the trade block as they attempt to cut bait with him before the pattern continues for another year.

The Steven Matz signing continues to hurt the Cardinals while the Mets have brushed off getting spurned at the last second

A rather modest four-year deal worth $44 million was what Matz signed with St. Louis. It’s almost a laughably low total by the standard of what a pitcher of his ability at the time would have received. Matz was heading into his age 31 season when the deal was inked. Fresh from a successful turnaround with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021, the fallen hometown hero of the Mets was tracking toward better days ahead.

That’s not how things would turn out. Matz’s time in St. Louis hasn’t been memorable. Each year has included a stint in the bullpen and an excessively long stay on the IL. He made 10 starts and 5 relief appearances in year one. Year two, his best, included 17 starts and another 8 relief appearances. Finally, this past year, Matz made 7 starts and 5 relief appearances. All three years combined come to 197.1 innings and a 4.47 ERA. 

The three years in St. Louis have been oddly different each time. The first year somehow included just under 2 walks per 9 and an impressive 10.1 strikeouts per 9. Somehow it still resulted in a 5.25 ERA for Matz. Last year a hard-hit percentage of only 30.7% against him, well below the league-average and the best of his career, did little to help out. He still finished with a 5.08 ERA.

Each season in St. Louis has included more than a hit per inning. It’s not so much the quality of hits, perhaps, as much as it is the sheer number of them. His line drive percentage was at nearly 30% in 2022 and 2024; his two lousiest years in St. Louis. An increase in the walks per 9 with a large downsize in the strikeout total as well, he’ll be a tough sell for anyone to add to their roster via trade even at a reasonable salary we’d have to expect the Cardinals to eat a portion of.

Offseason rumors of the Cardinals willing to trade just about anyone with a high salary suggest they’ll be more interested in lowering the payroll than competing next year. This could open up an opportunity for the Mets to add to their roster. Not Matz, though. We’ve seen up close and now from afar how badly things can go.