Red Sox Trade Shock: Boston Lands All-Star Pitcher in Blockbuster Deadline Deal

The Boston Red Sox pulled the trigger on a late-night Red Sox trade that sent veteran left-hander Steven Matz from the St. Louis Cardinals to Fenway Park in exchange for corner-infield prospect Blaze Jordan. Matz, 33, is a pending free agent finishing a four-year, $44 million contract, but his 3.44 ERA, elite 4.0 % walk rate and .442 OPS allowed to left-handed hitters made him one of the most attractive bullpen swingmen available ahead of Thursday’s 6 p.m. MLB trade deadline. Boston, sitting at 59-51 and clinging to an AL Wild Card spot, views the southpaw as a multi-inning bridge to closer Kenley Jansen while the front office continues to pursue a high-end starter. Why Boston needed this Red Sox trade • Heavy workload: Red Sox relievers rank top-five in innings since June, and manager Alex Cora has leaned on three lefties (Justin Wilson, Brennan Bernardino, Chris Murphy) nearly every night. • Platoon weapon: Matz neutralizes left-handed bats, a crucial edge against division rivals that stack lefty power. • Fenway fit: His 44 % ground-ball rate helps mitigate Fenway Park’s short right-field porch. The cost: Blaze Jordan Jordan, Boston’s No. 17 prospect, has rebounded in Triple-A Worcester (.289/.333/.476, 12 HR) after two uneven Double-A seasons. Boston faced a 40-man roster crunch this winter, and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow opted to move the soon-to-be Rule 5-eligible slugger for immediate pitching depth. Former Red Sox architect Chaim Bloom, now advising St. Louis, was instrumental in drafting Jordan in 2020 and helped facilitate the swap. How Matz slots in • Short-burst starter insurance: Boston’s rotation ERA sits north of 5.00 since June; Matz has made two spot starts this year, allowing just one run in nine innings. • Multi-inning reliever: Expect 2-3 inning stints that save leverage arms such as Aroldis Chapman and John Schreiber for the late frames. • “Reverse opener” potential: Cora can deploy Matz after an opener to exploit lefty pockets in opposing lineups. What’s next at the MLB trade deadline? Breslow remains aggressive in the pitching market, with reported interest in Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller and Rays ace Tyler Glasnow. Boston is also exploring first-base upgrades after dealing Jordan, although rising prospect Kyle Campbell (.310 OBP, 17 HR in Triple-A) could get the call if no deal materializes. Bottom line The latest Red Sox trade plugs an innings gap, strengthens a taxed bullpen and preserves the club’s top-tier prospects for a bigger swing at a frontline starter. If Matz continues his 2025 resurgence and Boston adds one more arm, the Red Sox could transform from Wild Card hopefuls into a legitimate October threat.