Cardinals outbid Red Sox for one of team’s free agent targets
Steven Matz will not be taking his talents to Boston, as the St. Louis Cardinals have outbid the field and signed the lefty to a four-year deal worth up to $48 million, Left-hander Steven Matz and the St. Louis Cardinals are in agreement on a four-year, $44 million contract, pending physical, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Matz is coming off a career-best season and has a chance to get to $48 million and will receive a signing bonus.
The Matz decision, which was always expected to come before Thanksgiving, came on the heels of reports that indicated that the Sox were among those who made a contract offer to the 30-year-old. Despite the offer, it was unclear just how high the Sox were willing to go, with one source telling MassLive’s Chris Cotillo that the Red Sox were not as aggressive as other clubs.
Matz spent the 2020 season with Toronto, and won a career-high 14 games for the Blue Jays. The New York native also posted his best ERA (3.82) since a 3.40 in 2016, while his 144 strikeouts were the third-most he’s had in any single season.
The Red Sox still have an obvious need in their rotation with Eduardo Rodriguez off to Detroit, and have been linked to numerous players on the open market. The list of notable lefty starters still on the open market includes Carlos Rodon, Danny Duffy, James Paxton, Jon Lester, and 2021 Cy Young winner Robbie Ray.
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Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Yell at him on Twitter: @_TyAnderson.
