Latest news with #BlazeJordan
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Red Sox acquire Cardinals pitcher in big trade deadline move
The post Red Sox acquire Cardinals pitcher in big trade deadline move appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Boston Red Sox have been involved in trade rumors over the last few weeks leading into the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline. Boston is still discussing Jarren Duran trades with potential suitors. But they are not committed to selling. In fact, Boston added to their roster in a deal involving St. Louis Cardinals reliever Steven Matz. Matz is going to the Red Sox through trade as first reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan. The trade is a one-for-one swap. In exchange for Matz, the Cardinals are acquiring corner infielder Blaze Jordan. Jordan is Boston's 17th-ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The Red Sox find themselves in the race for the American League Wild Card. In fact, they own a one-game lead over the Seattle Mariners for the second Wild Card. However, Seattle traded for Eugenio Suarez in a blockbuster deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. How Steven Matz helps Red Sox's Wild Card push The Red Sox have some options with Matz following this trade. For instance, they can plug him into the rotation. He has started 172 games in his 11-year major-league career. In his three most recent years as a starter, he went 23-17 with a 4.06 ERA. However, they could keep him in the bullpen, where the Cardinals had him this season. So far, the southpaw hurler has pitched to a 3.44 ERA with 47 strikeouts to just nine walks. He would certainly provide depth to Boston's rotation for the stretch run. If Matz goes to the rotation, he would be improving a strength. The Red Sox bullpen owns the fourth-lowest ERA in MLB this season. They've allowed the eighth-fewest hits and the second-fewest home runs as well. In fact, no bullpen in the American League has allowed fewer long balls than Boston. The Red Sox have a lot of work to do if they want to go on a deep playoff run. However, adding Matz to the pitching staff is a smart move. They didn't give up a Top 10 prospect, and they have a few options in terms of how to deploy him moving forward. Related: Red Sox completing trade with Dodgers for Dustin May Related: Carlos Correa's first game back with Astros is vs. Alex Bregman
Mint
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Steven Matz trade: Red Sox strengthen pitching with Cardinals' veteran lefty ahead of MLB trade deadline
The Boston Red Sox acquired veteran left-hander Steven Matz from the St. Louis Cardinals with an aim to strengthen their pitching staff before the MLB trade deadline. In exchange, Boston sent promising minor league first baseman Blaze Jordan to the Cardinals. Notably, to make room for Matz on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox transferred right-handed pitcherHunter Dobbinsto the 60-day Injured List. Steven Matz's career includes six seasons as a starter with the New York Mets, a 2021 stint with the Toronto Blue Jays where he recorded 14 wins, second most in the American League, and a free-agent signing with the Cardinals in 2021. The 34-year-old has excelled primarily as a reliever in 2025, with 30 of his 32 appearances coming out of the bullpen. He has registered a 3.44 ERA across 55 innings, coupled with 47 strikeouts and a .179 batting average against left-handed hitters. The St. Louis Cardinals gained 22-year-old Blaze Jordan, a third-round pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2020 under then-chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. Bloom, now with the Cardinals and set to become their president of baseball operations this offseason, is familiar with Jordan's potential. Jordan has played in 88 games this season between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester, including 44 games for Worcester, where he is batting .298 (51-for-171) with six home runs and 25 RBI while making 27 starts at third base, 13 at first base, and four as the designated hitter. For the Boston Red Sox, Steven Matz addresses a pressing need for pitching depth. His ability to serve as both a reliever and occasional starter gives manager Alex Cora tactical options in the competitive American League playoff race. The trade signals Boston's commitment to maximizing their 2025 season, leveraging Matz's experience and impending free agency. For the St. Louis Cardinals, acquiring Blaze Jordan aligns with their long-term vision. With Bloom's transition to a leadership role, the Cardinals are investing in a power-hitting prospect who could have a significant impact. The trade also marks a shift as the Cardinals prepare for new front-office leadership under Bloom, replacing John Mozeliak. On July 12, 25-year-old pitcher Hunter Dobbins was added to the 15-Day Injured List due to a right ACL tear. However, he was later shifted to the 60-day Injured List. The right-handed pitcher, who made his Major League debut this season with Boston, appeared in 13 games, including 11 starts, posting a 4-1 record and a 4.13 ERA (28 earned runs over 61.0 innings). Drafted by the Red Sox in the eighth round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft, the Texas native also pitched in four minor league games (two starts) this season, split between Worcester (three games) and Portland (one game), where he recorded a 5.09 ERA (10 earned runs in 17.2 innings).
CBS News
31-07-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Who is Steven Matz? What to know about Red Sox pitcher added ahead of MLB trade deadline.
The Boston Red Sox made their first move ahead of the Major League Baseball trade deadline, bringing in veteran pitcher Steven Matz. Here's what to know about the newest member of the Red Sox, who they acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for infield prospect Blaze Jordan. Matz, 34 years old, was originally drafted by the New York Mets in the 2009 MLB Draft out of Ward Melville High School in New York. On June 28, 2015, Matz had a big league debut to remember. Starting for the Mets against the Cincinnati Reds, he pitched 7.2 innings, giving up five hits and striking out six. But he also was 3 for 3 at the plate, doubling and driving in four runs. Matz has had an up and down career that included six years with the Mets, one season in Toronto, and the last four years with the Cardinals. In 11 seasons as a starter and reliever, Matz has an ERA of 4.24 over 982.2 innings, compiling 928 strikeouts. This year with the Cardinals, Matz has largely been a relief pitcher. He has a 3.44 ERA over 55 innings pitched. He's appeared in 32 games, coming out of the bullpen in all but two of them. In exchange for Matz, the Red Sox parted with Jordan, who was most recently playing first base for the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox. Jordan, who also played third base, was drafted in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of DeSoto Central High School in Mississippi. The righthander has hit well during the four years he spent making his way through the minors. This year, Jordan started the season at Double-A Portland before he was called up to Worcester. Between the two levels, he his .308 with 12 home runs and 62 RBI this year. The MLB trade deadline is Thursday at 6 p.m.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Red Sox Reporter Sees Blaze Jordan as Solution at First Base
Red Sox Reporter Sees Blaze Jordan as Solution at First Base originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Ever since the Boston Red Sox lost every day starting first baseman Triston Casas to a season-ending injury in early May, the team has been trying to plug the hole Casas left behind in the lineup. Advertisement For the time being, Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez have been platooning at first base, and they have done so productively. The Red Sox front office attempted to convince superstar slugger Rafael Devers to move there instead of being the team's designated hitter, but what could have been Devers' second positional move of the season served as the impetus to find a new home elsewhere. Devers is among the best hitters in baseball, and his absence is expected to make the Red Sox not only buyers ahead of the trade deadline, but also a prime destination for other teams' first basemen, should they be dealt. Matt Dargan, however, believes the Red Sox may not need to trade for a new first baseman; rather, their long-term solution at the position is Blaze Jordan, a player who is already in the franchise's minor league system. Red Sox prospect Blaze Jordan walks past a sign at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida, during spring Photo/Ashley Green / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images "When the Red Sox selected Blaze Jordan out of high school in the third round of the 2020 draft, the team was certainly intrigued by his raw power and ability to play at both corner infield spots. Jordan was on a solid trajectory through the Red Sox farm system before poor production and a battle with anxiety affected his play on the field," Dargan wrote. Advertisement "Now 22, things have started to come together for the young slugger this year. Beginning his season with Double-A Portland, Jordan hit .320 with six home runs and 37 RBI before earning a promotion to Triple-A Worcester on June 3. In 16 games since joining Worcester [as of June 21], Jordan has continued his assault on minor league pitching by hitting .348 with two home runs, eight doubles, and 12 RBI in 66 at-bats." Jordan is most widely known for the power he showcased in his youth. When he was just 13 years old, Jordan launched home runs 500 feet in length, and he was later crowned the High School Home Run Derby champion as part of All-Star Game festivities in 2019. He has showcased that power over the course of his MLB career (51 home runs), but his .292 batting average and .817 OPS across 1,617 minor-league at-bats show he can generate offense in other ways. With this offensive skill set in tow, Jordan could be the next big-name prospect to make his MLB debut with the Red Sox, according to Darman. Advertisement "With Boston's first base situation unsettled, it remains possible that Jordan could get a look later this season as the next man up if injuries were to sideline a member of the team's 26-man roster," Darman wrote. "Either way, Jordan's resurgence this season is one of the more interesting story lines to follow now that the Big Three [Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell] have all made their big league debuts." Related: MLB Insider Reveals Brutal Point After Red Sox Traded Rafael Devers This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Blaze Jordan graduates to Triple A after parts of three tumultuous seasons in Portland
WORCESTER -- On Sunday afternoon after the Sea Dogs' loss in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Portland manager Chad Epperson went around gathering the whole team into the main part of the clubhouse. He even told the guys showering to wrap it up and join the rest of the squad. The news he was delivering seemed run-of-the-mill at first, like details of what time to report for the next series. But then he slipped in the big announcement: that Blaze Jordan would instead be reporting to Worcester. Advertisement 'I was off that day, so I knew something was up, but it was one of those deals, you never know what's going to happen until it does happen,' Jordan said on his first day in Worcester. 'It was a pretty cool surprise.' Then came the customary flurry of FaceTimes to deliver the news to family back home in Hernando, Mississippi. His mom was probably the most excited to hear about the promotion; Jordan is pretty sure his dad was excited too, but it was hard to hear him over the lawnmower running in the background as the call came in the middle of Sunday chores. His younger brother, whose birthday it happened to be, might have beat Jordan to the punch, seeing the news online. He finished his round of text messages to friends and then settled in for the 10-hour bus trip back to Maine. Jordan finally got to Worcester in the early hours of Tuesday morning, enlisting the help of new (and old) roommate Tyler McDonough, who Jordan lived with back in 2021, to find his new home. Advertisement Waiting for him in his new city was a pleasant surprise: his parents, his sister-in-law, and his 15-month-old niece. The family initially planned to visit Jordan in Portland, but the Red Sox' decision to promote the infielder saved them a couple hours in the car as they re-routed to Worcester. The promotion to Worcester feels like it's been a long time coming for the 22-year-old who was drafted in the third round by the Red Sox in 2020. He spent parts of three seasons in Double A, comparing it to being in college. He's gone through his share of highs and lows throughout his professional career. He missed four weeks at the end of his first full pro season, revealing a couple years late that he was dealing with severe anxiety and depression and was hospitalized for 4-5 days. He revealed his struggles in 2023 on social media. 'I didn't realize how many people were going [the same things],' Jordan said. 'I felt like I was alone when I was dealing with all that stuff. But it was nice to know that I was able to reach out to other people and [let them] know that they're not alone too.' Advertisement About a month into his first full season in Portland in 2024, he broke his finger sliding into the plate, and missed about a month. In August, the suffered a concussion after being hit in the face by a pitch. He produced in between his IL stints, but not enough to maintain the kind of prospect status expected of a third-round draft pick. 'It was tough. I was going through some tough times for sure, especially not able to be out there with the guys during the injury,' Jordan said. 'And then when I wasn't swinging it well, it was tough. You're like you're thinking to yourself, like, man, can I do this? 'But that's how baseball goes sometimes, ups and downs along the way. And I knew I've always come out of it, and then I just stayed the course and trusted the coaching stuff started to click.' Previously ranked as high as Boston's seventh overall prospect by Baseball America in 2022, he slipped to 21st in that same ranking entering 2024, and dropped off the top 30 list altogether entering 2025. Advertisement 'I think he's dealt with a lot at a young age,' WooSox bench coach Iggy Suarez, who managed Jordan in Greenville in 2022 and 2023. 'I mean, he jumped onto the scene when he was very young, so I think he's had some practice dealing with a lot of media and pressure....I think he was able to get better and be strong on the mental side during the offseason. I think it's helped him throughout the season and now look where he's at.' This season, Jordan made the Red Sox' decision to promote him pretty easy. He crushed Double-A pitching, slashing .320/.415/.513 with six homers and 11 doubles in 44 games. Maybe even more impressive was the fact that he logged three more walks (22) than strikeouts (19) this season in Portland. In his last nine games with the Sea Dogs, Jordan went 15-for-30 with five extra-base hits. He said there were a couple of specific things he was working on this season. 'It was my approach to the plate, just trying to draw more walks and getting the right pitch to the hit,' Jordan said, 'and hitting the ball in the air, because as a corner infielder, that's kind of your job, you know? They want you to hit home runs.' Advertisement Jordan got the start at third in Worcester on Tuesday, batting fifth. He wasted little time getting into the mix, smashing a changeup from Rochester's Cade Cavalli 110 mph down the left field line. He came around the score on a single from Ryan Noda. WooSox manager Chad Tracy said the plan is for Jordan to play some third, some first, and DH 'here and there.' WooSox 6, Red Wings 5 Roman Anthony had the biggest swing of the night, tying the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the game into extra innings. Anthony's ninth home run went 428 feet to dead center, leaving the bat at 110 mph. Advertisement But it was Noda who powered the offense all the way through the game, racking up four RBIs. Noda's two-run double driving in Jordan and Vaughn Grissom was all the offense the WooSox could muster until Anthony's game-tying swing in the ninth. Noda had another huge hit in the bottom of the 10th with the WooSox trailing by a pair, launching a leadoff home run to tie the game again. Seby Zavala had a tough night behind the plate with a couple of errors, but he got to be the hero of the night, laying down a sacrifice bunt that caused the Red Wings to overthrow third, where Trayce Thompson was barreling in after his fourth hit of the night. The overthrow allowed Thompson to come home, where he picked up Nick Sogard on his back as the WooSox walked off the field victorious. Robert Stock went six solid innings, allowing three runs but only one of them was earned. Wyatt Olds tossed a scoreless inning and Alex Hoppe bounced back from a tough outing on May 30 with two scoreless frames. Notes - There were a number of minor moves on Tuesday for the WooSox. Infielder Karson Simas and outfielder Corey Rosier were transferred to Portland as Jordan was promoted and Nick Sogard was optioned from Boston. Advertisement Catcher Enderso Lira was reinstated from the development list. Pitchers Cooper Criswell and Zack Kelly were recalled to Boston, and in corresponding moves Richard Fitts was optioned to Worcester and Nick Burdi was placed on the injured list. - Though no official move has been made as of Tuesday evening, it appears veteran catcher Yasmani Grandal is leaning toward retirement, according to Tracy. The two-time All-Star played in 23 games for the WooSox, hitting .256/.372/.397. The 36-year-old was a positive presence in the clubhouse, always engaging with the young players, some 15 years his junior. 'At the moment, it looks like he's probably going to walk away and potentially hang them up,' Tracy said, adding Grandal wasn't at Polar Park on Tuesday. 'We talked [Monday], and I knew he was gonna pack up and response was 'it's time to be dad.'' Tracy added that he didn't expect Grandal, who has 13 MLB seasons on his resume would be in Worcester all season, but enjoyed the time the WooSox had with him. Advertisement 'He didn't isolate himself, he was right in the middle of everything teaching young guys,' Tracy said. 'It was great.' - Old friend Franchy Cordero was in town with Rochester on Tuesday, and while he wasn't in the lineup, he made the rounds greeting WooSox employees and coached first base. What's Next The WooSox will have a quick turnaround with an 11 a.m. start on Wednesday with Brian Van Belle getting the start for Worcester. Read the original article on MassLive.
