The Cardinals’ rebuild has moved faster than expected, and that’s made this offseason a little more complicated than anyone probably planned. St. Louis is ahead of schedule thanks to the rise of Jordan Walker, JJ Wetherholt and Alec Burleson, but the progress has also forced a hard look at players whose futures are suddenly less clear.
Matthew Liberatore is one of the biggest names in that conversation. His 2026 season was rough from start to finish, and the numbers tell the story: a 5.36 ERA over 30 starts, 27 home runs allowed and a Cardinals team that lost 16 of those outings. He did reach a career-high 148 strikeouts, but the consistency never really followed.
Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer summed up the dilemma this way on Tuesday: "Only 32 pitchers have made at least 30 starts in 2026. Liberatore is one of them," Rymer wrote. "That, plus 149.2 innings pitched, gives him a certain amount of value that is hard to measure in an era where starters just don't work as much.
"Even so, this is another Jeffrey Springs conundrum. Durability is nice, but Liberatore has done more harm than good when he's pitched.
His ERA is 5.36. He's served up 27 home runs, so it's no wonder the Cardinals have lost 16 of his 30 starts."
That’s the tension here. Liberatore has been one of the Cardinals’ steadier rotation presences over the last two seasons, making 59 starts, but the production hasn’t matched the workload. Still, moving on from him outright would be the wrong call.
The better path is to shift him into a high-leverage relief or swing role. Liberatore has already worked out of the bullpen before, making 54 relief appearances in 2024, and that kind of flexibility could fit what St. Louis needs as more young arms push for innings.
He’s also under team control through the 2029 season, which matters for a club trying to stay careful with spending while the rebuild continues. Keeping a cost-controlled veteran with his experience gives the Cardinals another option on the staff - and another chance for Liberatore to show he can still matter in a different role.
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