photo: Phil Maton (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
The St. Louis Cardinals announced today (Thursday, March 13) that they have signed free-agent right-handed pitcher Phil Maton to a one-year contract for the 2025 season.
Maton (pronounced MAY-tahn) closed out the 2024 season as a member of the New York Mets after coming over in a trade from Tampa Bay on July 9. He went 3-3 with a 3.66 ERA in a combined 71 games with the Mets and Rays last season and appeared in six postseason games during New York’s advance to the National League Championship Series.
The 6-2, 206-pound Maton registered a career-high 18 Holds last season and combined for a 1.11 WHIP, including a 0.84 mark over his 31 games during the Mets stretch run to the postseason.
Maton was unscored upon in 25 of his 31 games pitched for the Mets last season and recorded a 1.99 ERA over his final 42 games pitched dating back to June 12.
Maton, who turns 32 on March 25, will be entering his 9th season in the majors, having debuted in 2017 with the San Diego Padres. He owns a career mark of 19-15 with 5 saves and a 4.16 ERA in 415 career games with San Diego (2017-19), Cleveland (2019-21), Houston (2021-23), Tampa Bay (2024) and the New York Mets (2024). He was drafted by San Diego in 2015 out of Louisiana Tech University.
A native of Chatham, IL, Maton has appeared in 26 postseason games, including the 2021 World Series with Houston.
The Cardinals have designated LHP Bailey Horn for assignment to make room for Maton on the team’s 40-player Major League roster which currently stands at 40 with today’s announcement.
Maton will be issued uniform no. 88 when he reports to the Cardinals Spring Training camp.
Brian Walton’s take
The Cardinals finally signed their first free agent of the 2024-2025 offseason just two weeks ahead of Opening Day. St. Louis is the last of the 30 MLB teams to sign anyone. Maton’s contract is reportedly for $2 million.
Maton should play a key leadership role in a Cardinals bullpen that lost his predecessor, Andrew Kittredge, to free agency. Other relievers had been highly complementary of the impact Kittredge had on them. He also pitched well for St. Louis, so Maton has a lot to live up to.
With this move, the Cardinals have 49 players in camp, including 36 on the 40-man roster plus 13 non-roster invitees.
Horn, who was claimed off waivers from the Detroit Tigers on January 9, had already been reassigned to minor league camp. In the next five days, he will either clear waivers and remain with Memphis or be claimed again and move on to another organization.
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