The St. Louis Cardinals are continuing to explore ways to reduce payroll ahead of the 2025 season. After Nolan Arenado blocked a possible trade to the Houston Astros, the team is running low on options for offloading his contract. As a result, they are now searching for alternative methods to cut costs, with one or both of their starting pitchers potentially being traded. For those without a subscription to The Athletic, FanSided has shared an early look at the latest updates from Will Sammon and Katie Woo.
“If the Cardinals are unable to find a trade partner, or remain unwilling to eat more of Arenado’s salary, they are prepared to pivot to trading away some of their starting pitchers,” wrote Sammon and Woo. “This is not the route they prefer, as St. Louis would like to hold on to Erick Fedde until at least the trade deadline. Still, the Cardinals will continue to monitor interest levels on both Fedde and Steven Matz, two pitchers on expiring deals.”
This is a significant development, as the Cardinals have emphasized that unloading Arenado is their top priority. However, John Mozeliak understands that if he’s unable to trade his starting third baseman, he’ll need to explore other options. Fedde is scheduled to earn $7.5 million in 2025, while Matz is set to make $12.5 million. Given Matz’s higher salary, he is likely the first choice for the Cardinals to move. Although Matz and Fedde are not actively being marketed, the team is reportedly open to hearing offers for both players.
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