The Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers were two of the most pleasantly surprising squads in the American League this past season. The Guards won the AL Central, while the Tigers went on a shocking streak to sneak into the postseason.
Once in the postseason, the Guardians eliminated the Tigers in an exciting best-of-five matchup. The future is bright for both organizations, but it became clear that both need talent on the rotation to take the next step and fight for a place in the elite. Enter the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cardinals could be moving a pair of pitchers this offseason
The Cards entered the offseason with a desire to shed some payroll. They did little to pursue a reunion with free agent Paul Goldschmidt, they are open to trading Nolan Arenado, and they even had a deal in place with the Houston Astros before the player invoked his no-trade clause.
Now, there are reports that the Cardinals are considering moving starters Erick Fedde and Steven Matz via trade to create some salary room.
The Cardinals want to shed payroll
“As reported by John Denton, Mark Feinsand, and Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, the Tigers and Guardians have both expressed interest in trading for Cardinals starting pitchers Erick Fedde and Steven Matz. Both pitchers seemed to be likely trade candidates entering the offseason, but this is the first report to link either pitcher to specific suitors,” MLB Trade Rumors wrote.
Both pitchers are relatively affordable. Matz will make $12.5 million in 2025, and Fedde’s salary is at $7.5 million.
Matz posted a 5.08 ERA in 44.1 frames this past season while battling back issues. On the other hand, Fedde had a breakout campaign between the Chicago White Sox and the Cardinals, with a 3.30 ERA in 177.1 innings. Both hurlers could potentially help the Guardians and the Tigers, particularly Fedde.
