It took until mid-March, but at long last, the Cardinals have made a move. No, it doesn’t make the direction of the team any clearer for 2025. I certainly still have questions about what the plan is, but at the very least, they’ve done something to improve the club, even if it’s just one signing.
Early yesterday, the Cardinals signed veteran reliever Phil Maton to a one-year, $2 million contract. The 31-year-old right-hander posted a 3.66 ERA across 71 appearances last year with the Rays and Mets, and he’s even a Central Illinois guy, having grown up in Chatham.
And so, I’ll give my thoughts on this move. Like I said, it doesn’t make me question the direction of the club or its plans for 2025 any less. This was still a very disappointing offseason. The Cardinals failed to trade Nolan Arenado, which isn’t really their fault, but they also failed to trade Ryan Helsley and Erick Fedde to contenders in deals that could have helped them restock the farm system with talent. I’ve made my thoughts clear on thought several times.
I also don’t think this means the Cardinals are going to be a good team in 2025. However, I have seen a lot of people on social media that are frustrated by this move. I do get the frustration to a degree. They waited this long to do something they could have done at the onset of the offseason. But in no way is this a bad move.
Actually, I really like this move. Instead of trying to take a chance on a potential reclamation project, the Cardinals actually went out and signed somebody who is proven and performed well last season.
In the end, it appears they dodged a bullet by letting Andrew Kittredge walk, but they still needed to replace that presence, and they’ve done just that. Maton can be used in high-leverage situations and can also be trusted to get key outs in those spots. He has even averaged 10 strikeouts per nine innings in his career, and a few seasons alone, so he brings swing and miss to the staff.
I didn’t expect anything earthshattering. This move certainly doesn’t qualify as a big splash, but the Cardinals at least accomplished something. It’s better than nothing at all, even if it doesn’t feel like much to some fans. They got somebody good who can make the team better and help the bullpen remain a strength in 2025. And even if the Cardinals don’t contend this year, it’s still a good move.
We saw last year that rental pitchers can bring back massive hauls, especially relievers. It’s a one-year deal, so if the Cardinals are out of contention, they can find a team looking to make a push for the postseason and get them to overpay for Maton at the trade deadline.
Now, the roster is actually set up perfectly for the Cardinals to sell when the deadline comes around. Not that I’m rooting for the Cardinals to do poorly and end up as sellers, but this allows them a better opportunity to restock the farm with young talent.
So, while this isn’t the big move fans may have hoped for or a blockbuster trade involving Arenado, Helsley or Fedde, it’s a move that helps the Cardinals, even if they fall out of contention.
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