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Not too long after the Cardinals and two veteran relievers made the call to not have them fly with the team to San Diego, one of those pitchers was headed in the opposite direction.

St. Louis Cardinals

Trade deadline roundup: Cardinals deal reliever Phil Maton to Rangers at buzzer

• Derrick Goold | Post-Dispatch

The Cardinals sent lefty Steven Matz to the Boston Red Sox late Wednesday night, a source told the Post-Dispatch.

The Cardinals confirmed the deal shortly before midnight St. Louis time.

In exchange for Matz, who the Red Sox can use as a starter or reliever due to his versatility, the Cardinals received corner infielder Blaze Jordan. He was a power-packed amateur drafted by Boston during Chaim Bloom's first year in charge of the baseball operations at Fenway Park.

Jordan, 22, split his first 88 games of this season evenly between Class AA and Class AAA. Overall, he's hit .308 with a .377 on-base percentage and a .495 slugging percentage. He has almost as many walks (33) as strikeouts (38) this season, and he's hit 12 home runs in 321 at-bats.

Entering the 2020 draft, Jordan was a sought after slugger for the showcase shows he put on as an amateur.

He won the 2019 High School Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game, and he had several 500-foot launches that made for good highlight reels. The Cardinals were intrigued by him during the abbreviated draft in 2020, and it was the Red Sox who took him in the third round (89th overall).Ìý

The Cardinals drafted four spots after Boston and selected a pitcher.

That prodigious power hasn't manifested as a pro, but Jordan has shown to be a more well-rounded hitter with solid bat speed and strong feel for the strike zone. Baseball America ranked him as the Boston's 24th-ranked prospect. 's Pipeline is higher on him, ranking Jordan 14th in the Red Sox system.

Matz signed a four-year, $44-million deal with the Cardinals near the start of the 2021-2022 offseason, and his first three years were complicated and limited by injuries. In his final year with the Cardinals, Matz moved into a swingman role and thrived. He made a few spot starts for the Cardinals, but his best work came as a reliever earning higher-leverage spots and pitching multiple innings to hold leads.

Matz, 34, went 5-2 with a 3.44 ERA in 32 games (two starts). He struck out 47 in 55 innings.Ìý

At his locker Wednesday, Matz spoke about looking to return to starting when he becomes a free agent this winter.

"Starting is where my heart is," he said.

Matz also spoke with reporters about what working out of the bullpen did for him, his health, and his effectiveness throughout this season. Baseball writer Daniel Guerrero had that story in Thursday morning's Post-Dispatch.

As he's become trade candidate, what has relief role shown Steven Matz? Cardinals Extra

As he nears the trade deadline as a candidate to be moved, Cardinals lefty Steven Matz looks ahead to what role he hopes to fill beyond this season.

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Cardinals trade closer Ryan Helsley to New York Mets for 3 Class A prospects

The Cardinals get the Mets' No. 6 prospect, shortstop Jesus Baez, and right-handers Frank Elissalt and Nate Dohm.

Goold's chat: Should Cardinals prioritize pitching or 'tent-pole hitters' in trade talks?

Salutations. Make sure your phone is charged, check those 10-5 rights, and watch the medical…

Late Wednesday, their Cardinals announced their second trade of the day, dealing relief pitcher Steven Matz to Boston. In return, the Red Sox sent power-hitting infielder Blaze Jordan to the Cardinals.

The right-hander Jordan was Baseball America's No. 24 Red Sox prospect this season.  slots him in as the Cardinals' 19th-best prospect.

Drafted by incoming CardinalsÌýpresident of baseball operations Chaim Bloom in 2020, the two will reunite in the Cardinals organization.

Here are five things to know about Blaze Jordan.

The basics on Jordan

A third-round pick in the 2020 draft, Jordan, now 22, was just 17 when he joined the Boston Red Sox organization. Originally scheduled to graduate high school a year later, he .

Jordan, listed at 6 feet tall and 220 pounds, moved up to Triple-A for the first time in early June after he was one of the top hitters in the Double-A Eastern League to start 2025 with a .928 on-base plus slugging percentage.

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His numbers have dropped off a bit, as expected, as he moved up to Triple-A.

He went to high school in Southaven, Mississippi, about a 25-minute drive from the home ballpark of the Cardinals' Triple-A Memphis affiliate.

An Internet sensation as a child

Jordan burst onto the scene at a young age after several viral videos of him hitting mammoth home runs as a child.

As an 11-year-old, he hit a at the Texas Rangers' ballpark. At 13, he hit a that reportedly traveled 500 feet.

As a result, he was a minor celebrity even before he began high school. That celebrity allowed him to score a workout with former Cardinals great Albert Pujols.

"He was one of the nicest guys," of Pujols.

Jordan committed to Mississippi State University at the age of 13 and first team as an eighth grader.Ìý

He was even a pitcher for a time, throwing a 92-mile per hour fastball.

Initially a football player, Jordan turned to baseball after at age 7.

Stats show development

A sign that Jordan has grown in the past year: his swing rate has dropped from 56.8% last year to 46% this year, a career best.

His 8.7% swinging strike rate this year is also a career best and 5.3 percentage points below where it was three years ago.

Jordan is also drawing far more walks this year.

He is putting up a .308 batting average and an .872 OPS in Double-A and Triple-A combined this season with 33 walks and 38 strikeouts in 321 at-bats. Jordan has hit 12 homers and driven in 62 runs this season.

Defensively, he has split time between first and third base this season, though scouting reports are bearish on his future at third base in the majors.

Can the power translate?

Jordan's power is unquestionable. The main concern is whether it will translate into the major leagues.

"The Red Sox seem to have their own doubts," Red Sox reporter .

Given his shortcomings in speed and defensive liabilities (he projects as a first baseman), Jordan has to hit at an extremely high level to stick in the majors and tap more of his raw power.

wrote that he "faces questions about raw power actualizing due to hit tool concerns. Average in-game power potential."

But Jordan has been among theÌýyounger players at every level, and he missed significant time in 2024 with a couple of injuries that limited him to 89 games.

Despite that,Ìý notes that he cut his chase rate earlier this season and tallied more walks than strikeouts, forcing a promotion to Triple-A.

“He's continued to improve in a lot of areas,â€� Red Sox executive Brian Abraham said, . “Overall, it's been his consistency on both sides of the ball. Solid defenseÌý— especially at first baseÌý— improved swing decisions, impacting the baseball and driving the ball in the air for damage.â€�

A reunion with Chaim Bloom

Chaim Bloom,Ìýincoming Cardinals president of baseball operations, drafted Jordan in 2020 in what was Bloom's first draftÌýas the Boston Red Sox’s chief baseball officer.

“He’s just always had a feel for the barrel," Bloom in 2023. "In terms of refining the approach and obviously a lot of the work on the defensive side, he’s continuing to grow into his body and as he becomes a man there’s obviously still a lot of things to work on.

"But he can hit. And he just continues to perform. So he’s definitely got our attention.�

Minutes after his club dropped their series finale vs. the Marlins and hours after closer Ryan Helsley was traded to the Mets, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol described what the deal to move the two-time All-Star reliever could mean for how his club could handle the late innings of games.

Within his description fit a key word fits for what lies ahead.

“We’ll mix and match, but the word that definitely comes to mind is ‘opportunity,’� Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said.

How he deployed his relievers Wednesday in a 2-0 loss against Miami provided a glimpse of who could get that “opportunity.�

Once Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas was lifted from his start after six innings and two runs allowed on a two-run homer in the third inning to Jesus Sanchez, who was also traded ahead of the deadline Thursday afternoon, the Cardinals received 1 1/3 scoreless innings by Riley O’Brien, another 1 1/3 scoreless innings from JoJo Romero and 1/3 of a scoreless inning from Kyle Leahy in a 2-0 loss to Miami that marked a second consecutive shutout loss.

The trio of relievers kept the Cardinals from needing to dig into a bullpen that was without Helsley and one that had left-hander Steven Matz subtracted from its makeup as he was dealt to the Red Sox.

“Riley’s done a nice job of running with opportunities that we’ve been giving him. JoJo, he’s done it in the past as well,� Marmol said.

As sellers at this year’s trade deadline, the Cardinals (55-55) turned Helsley and Matz, who are both on expiring contracts, into prospects to deepen their farm system. The bullpen could continue to take shape ahead of Thursday’s deadline with veteran Phil Maton as a candidate to be moved before 5 p.m. Thursday.

“For the time being, Phil (Maton) is here. ... We’ll continue to mix and match until it looks different,� Marmol said.

O’Brien, the first of the rising Cardinals arms to get a look on Wednesday, continued what has been a strong showing in the majors that has come with consistent health.

O’Brien, 30, has posted a 1.67 ERA in 22 games. He’s notched 29 strikeouts in 27 innings and has collected 12 of those in his previous 8 1/3 innings. The 1 1/3 scoreless innings vs. Miami on Thursday extended his stretch of scoreless innings to 8 1/3 over his previous eight outings.

On Thursday, the righty flashed what has provided some intrigue when he is healthy. He threw a sinker that reached 99.8 mph and a slider that touched 91.3 mph and got two whiffs on the three swings Marlins hitters took against it.

“So far, I’ve felt relatively healthy throughout the year, and I think I’ve just been consistent,� said O’Brien, who made the 2024 opening day roster but was held to eight innings because of a right forearm flexor strain. “That’s the biggest thing. Last year was lots of ups and downs. I think I flashed some success, but this year, I feel like I’m really kind of putting it together, and so far, I’ve been having success and I’m just trying to keep stacking good outings.�

With Helsley traded and an “opportunity� to pitch late innings possible, O’Brien said he’s hoping to carry his approach that has helped him to success this year into late innings spots if his name is called.

“That’s obviously the biggest goal being out of the bullpen is to be closing out games and throwing in big situations,� O’Brien said. “There’s obviously a spot open. I’m trying not to think about it too much. Just try to go out there when my name is called and throw the ball well. I’ll be ready for it, but we’ll see what happens next in the next few days.�

Two seasons ago, Romero got his first consistent run as a regular late-inning option for the Cardinals while Helsley was on the injured list for a right forearm strain. Romero, who bounced between the majors and Class AAA through the first three months of the 2023 season, ended that season with a 3.68 ERA in 36 2/3 innings and notched the first three saves of his career.

Romero’s run as a late-inning reliever that year began following a call-up in early July. The stretch included a 3.72 ERA, a strikeout rate just below 31% and two successful save conversions in three opportunities.

This year, the lefty has posted a 2.04 ERA in 41 appearances and notched 16 holds. After beginning the year with a 7.27 ERA through his first 11 appearances, he’s posted a 0.34 ERA and struck out 30 batters in his previous 30 outings, including Thursday’s, creating momentum for him as he figures to be a key arm the Cardinals could rely on through the final two months of the regular season.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for everyone in this clubhouse that’s in that bullpen,� Romero said of the innings that open up after Helsley’s departure. “We’ve got some arms and everyone that’s come up here between (Andre) Granillo, (Gordon) Graceffo, (Matt) Svanson, Leahy, and Riley.

“Everyone’s been able to get the opportunity in the back end of the game. Now that there’s that you know opportunity later in the game, whether that’s seven, eight, nine, whatever it is, these young guys being able to get that opportunity, to get that experience under their belt, whether it’s close game, not close game, whatever the situation is, it’s going to be good for all of us and good for staff as a whole.�

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Miami Marlins beat St. Louis Cardinals 2-0

As the St. Louis Cardinals, fourth-place sellers, look to make some more deals by Thursday’s trade deadline, what looms at Busch Stadium is the trade never made.

Nolan Arenado is still a Cardinal.

And he’s no longer Nolan Arenado.

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And he’s owed $27 million next year (the Rockies will pick up $5 million of it). And $15 million in 2027.

The future Hall of Fame third baseman, who the Cards looked to move in the offseason as part of the club's “reset,� is now a below-league-average ballplayer.

Last year was a rough go of it, tooÌý— Nolan finished with 16 home runs and a .719 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). Well, this year he has 10 homers and a .660 OPS, slightly higher than the OPS of No. 9 hitter Victor Scott II.

Players ultimately decline. But this one has been hard to watch. Because he still looks the same, right? That’s the guy, right there, who hit all those doubles and homers— the slugger, the star. That's him, but it's not him.

I, for one, thought Arenado would bounce back this year. I wrote as such in the spring. And as this year began, his bat speed was clocked faster than recent seasonsÌý— optimism in data form. But even with the faster swing, his swings aren’t producing. He hasn’t homered since June 21. And in the 24 games after that day, he is hitting .198 with a seemingly impossible .486 OPS.

“He's in and out of feeling good from a just swing standpoint, mechanic standpoint, timing standpoint,â€� said Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol, “and it leads to some of the inconsistencies. But I've just seen it with him in the pastÌý— it clicks and he can run hard for a long time and hold it for a long time. So he’s in a spot right now where there is a little bit of that, but I still am hopeful that he can flip this and get going.â€�

But because of Arenado’s hefty salary, it would be hard for the Cards to trade him by Thursday without, one would surmise, adding a prospect to the deal. And the whole point is for the Cards to collect prospects, not give them away.

Attendance is down. TV money isn’t what it once was. The Cardinals, it appears, aren’t in a spot to take chances this winter with huge free agents. And even if they were, they are already allocating $62 million combined in 2026 to Arenado and Sonny Gray. So there just isn’t much money to play with, unless payroll surprisingly goes (way) up.Ìý

Of course, Chaim Bloom takes over as the baseball boss for John Mozeliak at season's end. Arenado will be Bloom’s issue to deal with, so we’ll see if Bloom can work out a deal that Mozeliak couldn’t.

But the reality is that the Cardinals could look similar next year, at least from an offensive standpoint, as they do this year, including the aging Arenado at third. The Cards are 55-55 and 5 1/2 game back of the final wild card spot.

Now, just like Arenado hopes to possibly become Arenado again, the Cardinals yearn to be the Cardinals again. And this sobering trade deadlineÌý— and the Arenado situationÌý— is a reminder that it might take a while.

Marmol did a Tuesday radio interview on KMOX and shared an interesting sentiment. He doesn’t want the Cards to be a franchise that annually plays to just sneak into the postseason; he wants to dominate, like the days of 2011-15.

“In this seat, it's easy to just play for the now,â€� Marmol said Wednesday to the media from his desk in the manager’s office. “And especially there are different things that would prompt you to want to play for the now. But I also have to take a step back and evaluate, like, what are we really trying to do here? And I want to make sure we're making decisions that also allow us to be really strong moving forwardÌý— that's important to me.

"And I feel like we're building towards that, and I want to make sure that, like I said on (radio), I don't want to just sneak into the playoffs. I want to build and be a part of something that's building towards where you show up every day and you're expecting to win. You're expecting to win. And every now and then, somebody beats you, but you show up every day knowing you're going to win. And that's a different feeling. I want to get to that point. And if making tough decisions right now leads to that in the future, I think we'll all be pretty damn happy.�

There are reasons for optimism from the offensive side of things. Young players Ivan Herrera, Alec Burleson and even Nolan Gorman (in the weeks before his injury) are showing slug and swag. But alas, the pitching side provides pessimism. And there’s not much in the Cardinals’ system now, especially because of elbow injuries to key pitching prospects.ÌýÌý

As for 2025, “I think when you come into a season like that, where the goal is to just see what you've got,� Burleson said, “we're hovering around .500, and I don't think really anybody anticipated that. So we've kind of played a little bit better than people were expecting. But that's credit to guys who have taken advantage of their opportunities. Whether that’s recently or earlier in the year and we'll take the last two months to do that as well and just see what we've got going into 2026. ... It's been a it's been a different kind of year, but it's been a lot of fun.�

It hasn’t been fun for Arenado, a fiery competitor who has accomplished so much in regular seasons past but very little in the postseasons. And he very well could be the third baseman on a 2026 Cardinals team that’s still not expecting to win like in the glory days.

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The Cardinals attempted to capitalize on the arms race Wednesday for late-inning relievers between two National League East rivals and traded All-Star closer Ryan Helsley to the New York Mets for two pitchers and an infielder from the Mets' Class A club.

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Dealing one of the most sought after relievers at the trade deadline begins a 24-hour sale on veterans in the Cardinals' bullpen.

"We knew it was coming," manager Oliver Marmol said about Helsley's departure after the team's 2-0 loss to the Marlins on Wednesday night. "Having the conversation isn't the easiest. This is a guy who has done so much for the (organization). He really has. His ability to post and pitch in meaningful spotsÌý— that's a tough role as a closer because everything falls on you. He did a really nice job of taking that role and running with it. It was good to see his growth."

In exchange for Helsley, the longest-tenured Cardinal on their roster, the Cardinals received three minor leaguers, including the Mets’ No. 6 prospect, shortstop Jesus Baez. The two other players coming from the Mets are right-handers Frank Elissalt and Nate Dohm. Baseball America ranks Dohm as the Mets’ 25th-best prospect.Ìý

A priority for the Cardinals at the deadline was acquiring players from the lower minors who would not create more traffic on the 40-player roster before new front office leadership takes over following this season.

And they are not done attempting to make trades.

Talks involving relievers Phil Maton and Steven Matz continued late into Wednesday night. As the team's charter flight left for San Diego, both Maton and Matz remained in St. Louis because of the possibility of trades before Thursday evening's deadline.

The Boston Red Sox expressed interest in Matz, per sources, and were working to complete a deal for the lefty.

Toronto has been among the teams talking to the Cardinals about their relievers, per sources, and both Maton and Matz have drawn interest from other contending clubs because of Maton's postseason seasoning as a setup man and Matz's versatility for the stretch run.

The Cardinals announced the four-player deal with the Mets shortly before the start of their game at Busch Stadium against the Marlins.

Marmol was the only official who spoke on the trade.

"Off the field, man, (Helsley) started to do things for the community that were meaningful," Marmol said. "You hate to see those type of guys leave. But I definitely wish him well. He's earned the opportunity to go play meaningful baseball."

Helsley, 31, set the Cardinals’ club record for saves with 49 a year ago, this season he’s converted 20 saves. The right-hander will be a free agent at the end of the season, so the Mets are augmenting their Edwin Diaz-led bullpen for a postseason run.

Bringing Helsley to Queens was part of a flurry of trades for relievers Wednesday night, the eve of Major League Baseball’s trade deadline.

Earlier in the day, the Mets completed a deal for San Francisco’s submariner Tyler Rogers and sent three players likely to contribute in the majors to the Giants. Within a few hours, the Philadelphia Phillies, the Mets’ rival within the division, pulled off one of the biggest deals of the deadline by acquiring Minnesota Twins’ fireballer Jhoan Duran. Unlike the Mets’ rental of Helsley, Duran heads to the Phillies with two more years of control.

The Cardinals have been at the nexus of negotiations for relievers this season, fielding interest from a handful of teams on Helsley while also considering offers for lefty Matz and interest in veteran setup man Maton, per sources.

The Cardinals, who sank to 55-55 with the loss Wednesday night to the Marlins, leaned into seller mode coming out of the All-Star break. ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ wanted to be sure to maximize the return they could get for Helsley, one of the most-established closers available with one of the best fastballs on the market.

The Cardinals drafted Helsley in 2015 and he had been with the organization longer than any other player on the 2025 team.

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Baez, 20, hit .242 this season at Class A for the Mets. He has 21 extra-base hits with 10 homers to go for a .390 slugging percentage and a .722 OPS. The right-handed batter has played both shortstop and third base throughout his minor-league career. He was standing on second base when the trade was agreed upon and had to be removed for a pinch-runner in the Cyclones' game.

Dohm, 22, woke up Wednesday morning with the Mets’ High-A affiliate. A third-round pick out of Mississippi State in 2024, Dohm has the pitcher profile that usually draws the Cardinals’ attention in the draft with the added velocity that the Cardinals chased in this month’s draft. The 6-foot-4 right-hander is 3-5 with a 2.87 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) this season, and he’s struck out 77 batters in 62 2/3 innings. His fastball has top-shelf hop and has touched 99 mph, though he tends to hold it in the mid-90s mph.

Elissalt, 23, also comes to the Cardinals from the High-A Brooklyn Cylcone’s pitching staff. He had just been promoted there this month after 57 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings with the Mets’ Low-A affiliate. The right-hander has a 4-5 record with a 3.04 ERA in 20 games (seven starts). He’s struck out 65 in 56 1/3 innings total this season and paired that with a 0.99 walks-plus-hits-per-innings-pitched (WHIP).

As pace picked up on bidding for the top relievers in the market, the Cardinals’ focus was on Helsley, and with less than 24 hours to go before the deadline they could then return to conversations about other players.

The Phillies, Dodgers and Toronto were among the teams to express some level interest in Helsley. Toronto has also talked to the Cardinals about Maton, and Matz has drawn interest from a similar group of teams, some of who view him as a swingman or versatile pitcher who could be used in several roles.

A source described the Cardinals as looking for a move that would shed some remaining salary from this year’s payroll, and of the trio relievers Matz has the highest salary at $12 million for this season.

Before Wednesday’s game, Helsley and Matz played catch as part of the bullpen’s routine to test their availability for that evening’s game.

Helsley has spoken openly all week about the likelihood of being traded ahead of Thursday evening’s deadline. He told the Post-Dispatch this past Monday that he would welcome a chance to return to St. Louis as a free agent and that he continues to have interest in being a long-term Cardinal.

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Trailing early after a Marlins hitter connected on a two-run homer off a Cardinals starter for a second consecutive night at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals once again could not generate the offense needed to pull themselves out of another early hole against Miami.

After Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas gave up a two-run homer to Jesus Sanchez in the third inning, the Cardinals were shut out for a second consecutive night by the Marlins. A day after former Cardinal Sandy Alcantara delivered five scoreless innings to help the Marlins sink the Cardinals, the Cardinals here held scoreless for six innings by starter Cal Quantrill in a 2-0 loss that dropped the Cardinals to 55-55 for the season.

The Cardinals had a bases-loaded opportunity with one out in the fifth inning but could not cash in with Brendan Donovan and Ivan Herrera at the plate. Walks by Donovan and Alec Burleson in the eighth inning put the game-tying run on base and brought the go-ahead run to the plate with Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado due up. The late threat ended with back-to-back strikeouts of the Cardinals’ Nos. 4 and 5 hitters.

With the shutout loss, the Cardinals have been held scoreless for 19 consecutive innings. The Cardinals have not scored since Jordan Walker doubled home Masyn Winn with two outs in the seventh inning in a 7-1 win on Monday.

A winner in his last outing, Mikolas notched his fifth quality start of the year and first since June 15 against the Brewers. The six innings Mikolas tossed matched a season high. Mikolas flashed increased average velocity with each of the six pitches he flashed against Miami.

Mikolas’ fastball averaged 94.9 mph, a 2.4 mph increase from his average fastball this season, per Statcast. He relied primarily on his slider, which was thrown 22 times, and his curveball, which he used for 19 of his 86 pitches. The increased zip and breaking pitch-heavy approach helped Mikolas to five strikeouts and six groundouts.

A bullpen that no longer features closer Ryan Helsley after he was traded to the Mets for three prospects before Wednesday’s first pitch at Busch Stadium held the Marlins to one hit and no walks in the final three innings following Mikolas’ exit.

Riley O’Brien, who pitched through some light rainfall, logged 1 1/3 innings while JoJo Romero (1 1/3 innings) and Kyle Leahy (1/3 of an inning) also turned in scoreless appearances.

Coming up empty

When they loaded the bases with one out in the fifth inning, the Nos. 1 and 2 hitters in the Cardinals’ lineup could not produce a ball in play that left the infield.

Donovan, the Cardinals’ lone All-Star representative last year and their primary leadoff hitter, fell into an 0-2 count and worked it to 2-2 by fouling off sinker and taking two splitters that were well out of the strike zone. A take on a third sinker he saw in the at-bat earned him a seventh pitch against Quantrill.

The righty placed a 96.5 mph sinker that appeared to catch the low, outside corner of the strike zone to strike out Donovan looking. The called strike led to some frustration from Donovan.

In the at-bat that followed, Herrera, who owned a .400 batting average in 50 at-bats with runners in scoring position entering Wednesday, took the first three pitches he saw to put him in a 2-1 count. He fouled off the fourth pitch he saw and grounded out to second base on a 96.9 mph sinker Quantrill placed over the middle of the strike zone.

Late threat falls short

After the Cardinals had their bases loaded opportunity in the fifth inning end without a ball in play leaving the infield, their next best chance to close the two-hole ended without a ball being put in play.

Facing right-hander Ronny Henriquez, Contreras took the first two pitches he saw and fouled off the third to put him in a 1-2 count as Henriquez located sinkers and a sweeper low and in. Henriquez dotted a 97.1 mph fastball on the low, inside corner called for a third strike that Contreras appeared to disagree with.

Like Contreras, Arenado fell into a 1-2 count three pitches into his at-bat against Henriquez before offering at the fourth pitch, a sweeper thrown low and away, and fouling it off.

A third sweeper in the at-bat got Arenado to chase below the strike zone for a strikeout to end the inning.

Hurt by the homer

Having allowed a home run in 11 of his previous 14 starts heading after beginning the year with no homers allowed in his first six to begin the season, a 1-0 changeup Mikolas threw low-and-in to Sanchez represented homer No. 18 Mikolas has surrendered this year.

Facing Sanchez for a second time in three innings after Sanchez hit a one-out double in the first inning, Mikolas saw his offspeed pitch lifted to center field for a 439-foot two-run homer.

The homer was just the first Mikolas allowed on a changeup this year, per Statcast. The veteran right-hander’s changeup had been hit for a .250 batting average and kept opposing hitters to a .333 slugging percentage on the 188 times he threw it entering the night.

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Below is a look at five things to know about the three players headed to the Cardinals organization.

Infielder Jesus Baez is the top return

Jesus Baez, a 20-year-old native of the Dominican Republic, is the headliner among players headed to the Cardinals. He ranks as the Mets' No. 6 prospect by Baseball America and eighth-best by .

Baez, who is in High-A, has played all over the infield, mainly shortstop, but he has also seen significant time at second and third.

Baez ranks in the top 15 in the South Atlantic League in home runs (10) and RBIs (42). His .740 on-base plus slugging percentage is 21st-best in the league.

He was signed as a 17-year-old out of the Dominican.

Baez, who missed time last year with a torn meniscus, is likely headed to the Cardinals' High-A affiliate in Peoria, Illinois.

Baez brings power

Baez's power is his most noted trait according to scouting reports.

"plus bat speed and exceptional high-end exit velocity — up near a maximum of 111 mph — for his age." His bat-to-ball skills are above average

Baez, who increased his walk rate from 8.5% last year to 11% this season, was .

His swing rate has also dropped about five percentage points from last year to this year.

Both Baseball America and give the 5-foot-10 Baez high marks for power and hitting.

“Baez isn’t easily projectable, but his explosivity is exciting and he should have above-average raw power at his peak,� wrote Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs.

Shortstop may not be Baez's MLB home

He has played all around the infield, and between questions about his long-term fit at shortstop and the Cardinals prospects ahead of him, Baez may not be a big-league shortstop.

"He has the pure arm strength and actions to play short but nowhere near the requisite range, and his first step is slow enough that at times he looks lacking at third base, too,"Ìý, adding that his best long-term fit may be second base.

Baez has committed eight errors in 246 innings at shortstop at two levels of Class A this season.

He was rated as having the best arm in the organization by a Baseball America survey.

Nate Dohm is a fastball-first former 3rd-round pick

Right-handed pitcher Nate Dohm is the next-best return the Cardinals got in trade. He ranks 14th among Mets prospects by and 25th by Baseball America.

Dohm, who stands 6-foot-4 and went to high school in the Indianapolis area, was picked in the third round of the 2024 draft out of Mississippi State University.

He has a 2.87 ERA in 18 games across two levels of Class A ball this season, starting 17 of them. He moved up to High-A in mid-May.

His fastball is his best pitch, and he "projects as a fastball-heavy reliever," .

His fastball can reach into the upper 90s, but it usually sits in the mid-90s, according to reports. It's a pitch that he has leaned heavily on.

Frank Elissalt a late-round pick with potential

Right-handed pitcher Frank Elissalt, 23, isÌý4-5 with a 3.04 ERA in 20 games (seven starts) across two levels of Class A ball this season while averaging more than a strikeout per inning.

A 19th-round pick in the 2024 draft, the Miami native attended Nova Southeastern, the same school that produced Miles Mikolas.

He ranks 44th among Mets prospects according to Fangraphs.

Elissalt, who stands 6-foot-2, releases his mid-90s fastball from a low angle and projects as a middle reliever, according to Fangraphs.

He was called up to High-A Brooklyn earlier this month.

When Miles Mikolas takes the mound, the Cardinals can't afford to be picky.

Mikolas and the Cardinals wrap up a series with the Marlins on Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. in the team's final game before Thursday's trade deadline.

The teams split the first two games, with the Cardinals blanked 5-0 on Tuesday night. It's also the rubber game of the seven-game homestand.

The right-hander Mikolas (6-7, 4.94 ERA) is coming off one of his better starts of the season last time out. He didn't allow a run in five innings despite giving up seven hits.

Mikolas has struggled mightily at times of late, but the bottom-line result last time out is one he and the Cardinals will happily accept, no matter how repeatable it is.

In that start vs. San Diego, the Padres hit .333 against him with an expected batting average of .365. That outing was one of 12 by a big leaguer this season allowing seven or more hits and no runs, one of which was by teammate Sonny Gray last month.

With a .385 expected weighted on base average, that start would rank as one of his lesser outings of the year. In that game, Mikolas threw his fastballs a season-high 52.1% of the time.

In his last 10 starts, Mikolas has a 6.39 ERA, which is the second-lowest in baseball since May 28. His 2.49 homers allowed per 9 innings pitched is also second-worst in that time.

Coming off a season in which he had the second-highest ERA among qualified starters, expectations for the 36-year-old have been low, and he has exceeded them at times.

Opposing Mikolas will be right-hander Cal Quantrill (3-8, 5.05 ERA), a 30-year-old in his first season in Miami.

The Cardinals are 55-54 and 4 1/2 games behind San Diego for the final wild-card spot.

The Marlins are 51-55 and have won four straight series entering St. Louis.

John King to IL, Gordon Graceffo recalled

Left-handed reliever John King was placed on the 15-day injured list before Wednesday's game, a day after leaving in the middle of an at-bat with soreness in his left side.

His injury is categorized as a left oblique strain.

Right-hander Gordon Graceffo has been recalled from Triple-A Memphis as a result.

How to watch Cardinals vs. Marlins

When:Ìý6:45 p.m. Wednesday

Where:ÌýBusch Stadium in St. Louis

TV/radio: FanDuel ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Network Midwest (); KMOX (1120 AM and 104.1 FM), other stations in the as well as .

Your options to watch: Input your ZIP code and see your choices for watching Cardinals games.

Lineups

CARDINALS

1. Brendan Donovan, 2B

2. Iván Herrera, LF

3. Alec Burleson, 1B

4. Willson Contreras, DH

5. Nolan Arenado, 3B

6. Yohel Pozo, C

7. Jordan Walker, RF

8. Thomas Saggese, SS

9. Victor Scott II, CF

P: Miles Mikolas, RHP

MARLINS

1. Xavier Edwards, 2B

2. Jesús Sánchez, RF

3. Agustín Ramírez, C

4. Kyle Stowers, DH

5. Otto Lopez, SS

6. Troy Johnston, 1B

7. Heriberto Hernandez, LF

8. Graham Pauley, 3B

9. Dane Myers, CF

P:ÌýCal Quantrill, RHP

Injury report

Lars Nootbaar, OF (left costochondral sprain):ÌýNootbaar went through pregame workouts with the Cardinals on Tuesday before heading to Springfield, Missouri, to begin a rehab assignment on Wednesday with the Cardinals’ Class AA affiliate.ÌýUpdated July 29

Nolan Gorman, 2B/3B (back tightness):ÌýGorman, after serving as designated hitter for Class AA Springfield (Missouri) on Tuesday to begin his rehab assignment, is expected to make a rehab start at second base for Springfield on Wednesday. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Tuesday. This is a recurring injury for the young infielder, who also dealt with back soreness in previous seasons. Updated July 29

John King, LHP (left oblique strain): King was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday after he left Tuesday's game in the middle of an at-bat withÌýleft side tightness. Updated July 29

Zack Thompson, LHP (shoulder, lat strain):ÌýLefty starter could begin a throwing program next week, Marmol said. Thompson has been sidelined since the start of March and was transferred to the 60-day injured list in early April. There is no timetable for his return to the mound.ÌýUpdated July 24

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The increased usage of his change-up during a Tuesday start against the Miami Marlins was a result Cardinals starter Sonny Gray said had less to do with his plan to attack opposing hitters and more to do with what he could deal on a sweltering July night at Busch Stadium.

Gray used his change-up 15 times, matching a season high for its usage, per Statcast. It made up 16% of his pitches vs. the Marlins after it made up 7% of his pitch usage through his first 21 starts of the season.

The off-speed pitch helped Gray get through five innings as he allowed three runs and eight hits in the Cardinals’ 5-0 loss to finish off what has been another rugged July in the three-time All-Star’s career.

“No, I threw that more tonight because that’s, I’m being honest, I’m struggling in the heat to grip anything,� Gray said. “I threw a change-up early and was like, ‘Well, this kind of slips out anyway, so maybe this is something that I can just use.’ Tonight, that was just one of those things where it’s like, ‘Well, alright, let’s see if we can use this a little bit.’ That wasn’t anything. That was just, I think, more or less, that was just something that I felt like I could throw and it’d be decent.�

Gray allowed two runs in the second inning on a homer to Graham Pauley and had a third run score against him in the fifth inning on a two-out single by Otto Lopez. Gray struck out five batters and issued one walk in a loss that dropped the Cardinals to 55-54. He needed 91 pitches to get through an outing that began with a game-time temperature of 93 degrees.

“It’s tough to grip anything,� Gray said. “Everything’s wet. ... It is a real challenge. It’s something that I’ve tried to overcome in the past years prior just throughout my career.�

While Gray worked through traffic, Cardinals hitters were kept to three hits, three walks and struck out four times against Miami starter and former Cardinal Sandy Alcantara. Alcantara, the National League’s Cy Young Award winner in 2022, was aided by a sliding grab in center field from Javier Sonoja to record an inning-ending fly out of Alec Burleson that left runners on first and third base in the third inning.

Alcantara recorded an inning-ending strikeout of Burleson in the fifth to leave the bases loaded as he helped the Marlins shut out the Cardinals for the first time at Busch Stadium since June 18, 2019.

“In the first, you can tell he was feeling his way through it ... and then he settled in after that,� Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said of Alcantara. “The velo(city) ticked up to 97 (mph). Some 99s. The change-up was real — 92 (mph), 93 (mph). He did a nice job with it at the bottom of the zone and kept us from doing a whole lot.�

In relief of Gray, Steven Matz allowed two runs in one inning. Matz, who is a trade candidate ahead of Thursday’s deadline, was set for just the one inning despite some confusion in what Marmol attributed to a “miscommunication with calling down to the bullpen.�

John King could not complete his lone inning of work in the ninth after leaving for what he said was “precautionary� due to tightness on his left side. King said he will be reevaluated Wednesday for what Marmol hopes may have been cramps and not an oblique injury.

“We’re just going to sleep on it and then talk more tomorrow,� King said.

For Gray, the three runs and eight hits he allowed on Tuesday wrapped a July during which he went 2-3 with a 7.81 ERA in 27 2/3 innings over six starts. Gray’s July began with four runs allowed in 6 1/3 innings during a start in Pittsburgh and reached a midpoint with a start at home vs. the Braves, which was shortened to three innings because of a rain delay on the final day before the All-Star break.

He came out of the break by surrendering a career-high nine runs and 11 hits in his first start of the second half vs. the Diamondbacks at Chase Field and followed that by surrendering 11 hits and seven runs at home against the Padres. Opposing hitters batted .347 against him as his ERA grew from 3.36 following a complete game shutout in Cleveland to end June to 4.38 after his final start of July.

“Still, not great. A little sluggish. ... I didn’t have great stuff, and then to give up the extra one in the fifth with two outs, nobody on that one was kind of tough,� Gray said. “Overall, I felt OK. Yeah, that was kind of it. I’m just ready to get to some, probably, a little cooler weather, to be honest with you. It’s tough.�

With his start against Miami, Gray has a 4.19 ERA for his career in July, marking his worst month-by-month split over 13 seasons in the majors. In 14 games with a temperature of 90 degrees or higher, including Tuesday’s, he owns a 4.46 ERA. Across his time in the majors, he’s followed July with a 2.81 ERA in August and had a 4.07 ERA over 53 regular-season games in September and October.

“I thought he competed well through the conditions,� Marmol said of Gray’s Tuesday start. “You can tell he was kind of laboring through that outing, but he gave us everything he had in order to give us a look at it. ... If you look at, I mean, overall, I feel like when you look at his career, especially last several years, July hasn’t treated him well, but he bounces back and does a really nice job. We’re looking forward to that next one.�

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Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday

Miami Marlins vs St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday