The Cardinals have two Triple-A names drawing real attention right now, and both are sitting there for different reasons. Quinn Mathews already got his first taste of the majors on Aug. 1, and Joshua Báez keeps forcing the issue with his bat. According to Chaim Bloom, neither player is being left out of the conversation.
Mathews, a left-hander, has put together a 3.32 ERA in Triple-A across 20 starts this season. His first big league call-up came on Aug. 1, and he handled it well enough, working five innings against the Toronto Blue Jays and giving up two earned runs while striking out three. He was optioned back to Triple-A after that outing, but Bloom made it clear the Cardinals still expect to use him before the season ends.
"I do think that Quinn is going to be in our plans for the rest of this year," Bloom said. "Obviously, with wanting to give Hunter that starting opportunity we sent Quinn back down but he is very much in our plans. And we're looking for opportunities to incorporate him and help take the load of some other guys down the stretch."
Báez is in a different spot, but the message around him is just as direct: the Cardinals are watching, and they know what they have. With Lars Nootbaar traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, there’s a clear opening in the outfield. Báez has answered with production, piling up 33 homers in Triple-A and building a strong case for a promotion.
There are still roster variables in play, including rookie status for the 2027 season, and that could affect when the move happens. That could change as soon as next week. Bloom, though, didn’t sound like someone who views Báez as a question mark.
"Obviously Joshua, we've been talking about all summer," Bloom continued. "The impressive thing about this young man is his maturity, his work ethic and how he goes about his business. His time is coming."
For St. Louis, the fit is obvious.
Mathews could help stabilize the pitching mix, whether that means stepping into the rotation, pushing the club toward a six-man setup, or giving the team another path to ease the burden on other arms. Matthew Liberatore has a 5.15 ERA in 23 starts, and the Cardinals have not gotten the kind of results they wanted there.
Báez, meanwhile, has done enough to make the outfield conversation hard to ignore. With Nootbaar gone, the path is open, and Báez has kept making the case that he belongs in the big leagues now.
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