The St. Louis Cardinals traded Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton & Steven Matz at the 2025 deadline, signaling a rebuild. See the prospect haul and what's next.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
The white flag has been waved on the 2025 season. In a stunning trade deadline flurry, the St. Louis Cardinals officially pivoted from contention to reconstruction, sending two-time All-Star closer Ryan Helsley and key setup men Phil Maton and Steven Matz packing. The message from the front office is loud and clear: the future is now, and it will be built with a new wave of young talent.
It wasn't a full fire sale, but it was a clear signal. By trading away the heart of their bullpen, the Cardinals acquired six new prospects and slammed the door on their 2025 hopes.
The biggest move of the day saw closer Ryan Helsley, a fan favorite and one of the league's most dominant relievers, shipped out of town. He wasn't alone. Setup man Phil Maton and lefty Steven Matz were also dealt in separate deals, effectively gutting a bullpen that was supposed to be a team strength. In his final act before handing the reins to Chaim Bloom, President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak orchestrated a massive talent infusion, netting six prospects in total. It's a bittersweet pill for fans to swallow, watching established arms leave, but the front office is banking on this pain leading to long-term gain.
So, who did the Cardinals get? The haul is headlined by two promising talents from the Mets: power-hitting shortstop Jesus Baez and hard-throwing righty Nate Dohm. Dohm was particularly impressive at High-A, posting a 2.87 ERA with 77 strikeouts in just 62.2 innings. Baez brings much-needed power potential to the middle infield prospects. These two, along with four other prospects, will immediately restock a farm system that already includes top talents like JJ Wetherholt and Quinn Mathews, giving St. Louis a much deeper pool to draw from in the coming years.
Amidst the frenzy, the biggest name rumored to be on the move stayed put. Star third baseman Nolan Arenado remains a Cardinal, at least for now. While the front office opted for a partial rebuild instead of a complete teardown, reports suggest Arenado is pondering his future with a club that is clearly retooling. Keeping him and other core veterans sends a mixed signal, suggesting the team hopes to compete again sooner rather than later. However, the question of Arenado's long-term commitment will linger over the organization as it enters this new phase.
The rest of 2025 is no longer about wins and losses, but about development and evaluation. With John Mozeliak's final trade deadline in the books, the stage is now set for Chaim Bloom to take the reins of a franchise in transition. The Cardinals have chosen their path: a painful but necessary pivot towards the future. For fans, the focus now shifts from the big league standings to the box scores in Springfield and Peoria, watching as the next generation of Cardinals begins its journey.
