Just before Wednesday came to a close, the Red Sox got their 2025 trade deadline started with an interleague trade for another bullpen arm.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Boston has agreed to a deal to acquire left-handed reliever Steven Matz from the Cardinals, pending a medical review. In exchange, the Red Sox are sending first baseman Blaze Jordan to St. Louis. Both teams later officially confirmed the trade.
Matz is 34 years old and was originally drafted by the Mets in the second round of the 2009 MLB Draft. Up until this season, he has primarily served as a starting pitcher throughout his career, with only occasional stints in the bullpen due to various injuries.
That has changed drastically in 2025, as he’s been almost exclusively used as a relief pitcher, making 30 relief appearances compared to just two starts on the mound.
Matz has a 3.44 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 47 strikeouts in 55 innings of work on the season. But above all else, Red Sox fans are going to want to focus on Matz’s success this season against lefties:
- .179 opponent batting average
- .216 on base percentage
- .226 slugging percentage
- .442 OPS
- 3 extra base hits and 3 walks in 84 at bats
While the Red Sox are still in need of help with the starting rotation as well as a bat that can help shore up first base, the addition of Matz is a great start to what Sox fans should hope is an active, aggressive deadline.
The departing Jordan was ranked 19th in the Red Sox system according to SoxProspects.com. The 22-year-old is batting .298 with 6 home runs and 25 RBI in 44 games since being called up to Worcester in early June.
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