Fansided

3 Steven Matz replacements Cardinals could trade for before deadline

By Miranda Remaklus

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 25: Starting pitcher Merrill Kelly #29 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on July 25, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 25: Starting pitcher Merrill Kelly #29 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on July 25, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OHIO – JULY 26: Pablo Lopez #49 of the Miami Marlins pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 26, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO – JULY 26: Pablo Lopez #49 of the Miami Marlins pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 26, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Pablo Lopez

With the Marlins taking the stance that they will listen to trade offers for everyone with the exception of Sandy Alcantara, the Cardinals should absolutely make an offer to get Pablo Lopez.

The 26-year-old righty is on a one-year contract worth $2.45 million. He will be arbitration eligible in the offseason and won’t be a free agent until 2025. That’s a nice amount of team control for the young star.

Lopez is 7-5 in 20 games started. He has an ERA of 3.03 with 116 innings pitched. He has 118 strikeouts on the season. An innings-eating strike thrower is just what the Cardinals desperately need. He induces 47.4 percent ground balls.

Lopez primarily uses a four-seam fastball, changeup, and a curveball. The curveball averages 80.1 mph with a 53.2-inch vertical drop with a 79 percent active spin. Lopez could find a lot of success using this offspeed pitch in front of the Cardinals’ Gold Glove infielders.

While he may not net a lot in the way of prospects, the Cardinals do have some assets to trade for the young pitcher.

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