The Cardinals have already shown this season that they’re willing to act when a player isn’t holding up his end of the bargain, and that’s why the next move in St. Louis should be hard to ignore.
Victor Scott II and Nolan Gorman both got sent down after failing to produce at the plate, and the club has already used those openings to bring in Blaze Jordan and activate Nathan Church from the Injured List. The rotation, though, looks like the next area that needs a shakeup.
Matthew Liberatore has not given the Cardinals enough in 18 starts, posting a 5.34 ERA with -0.5 wins above replacement. The stuff is there, but the results haven’t followed.
If St. Louis decides to make another adjustment, Quinn Mathews is making the case louder by the day.
The Cardinals’ No. 6 overall prospect is dealing in Triple-A. He owns a 3.53 ERA in 17 starts this season, and the recent stretch has been even sharper. Since May 28, Mathews has put up a 1.87 ERA across 43 1/3 innings in eight starts, a run that leaves little doubt he’s been one of the organization’s hottest arms.
He backed that up on Thursday with seven shutout innings against the Gwinnett Stripers, striking out seven and allowing only two hits. Even more impressive, Mathews has struck out exactly seven batters in three straight starts, and he hasn’t given up more than two runs in a start since June 16.
At this point, the left-hander looks like he’s pitching on a different level. He has yet to make his big league debut, but all signs point to that changing in 2026, and possibly soon.
Liberatore still has value, and the Cardinals used him as their Opening Day starter for a reason. But he may fit better in a multi-inning relief role than in the rotation.
If St. Louis decides to move him out of the starting mix, whether to the bullpen or back to the minors, Mathews looks like the clearest call-up option right now.
In Other News...
That Brief Cubs Outfield Gamble Just Took Another Rough Turn
Dylan Carlsons path back to relevance has taken another detour, this time after a difficult stretch at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The former Cardinals No. 1 prospect in 2021, who once looked like a centerpiece in St. Louis after putting together his best big league season that year, had been trying to rebuild his stock with the Phillies organization after a brief look with the Cubs earlier this season.
The results in Lehigh Valley never really gave him much traction, as he hit .181/.307/.307 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in 40 games. For a player still searching for the form that made him such a highly regarded young outfielder, the latest stop only adds to the uncertainty around what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Brendan Donovan Trade Return Suddenly Looks More Interesting For Cardinals
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Williamson brings the kind of left-handed power profile that can climb quickly if the hit tool holds, while Montesa gives the Cardinals another arm with real velocity and a starters pitch mix to sort through. Add those two to the earlier prospect package, and the Donovan deal no longer reads like a simple one-for-one subtraction, but as a broader bet on volume, upside and development time. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals First Round Track Record Is Starting To Raise Real Questions
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Jordan Walker and Michael McGreevy have given St. Louis reasons to feel better about the process, but the rest of the group has not all moved at the same pace. Cooper Hjerpe has had to fight through arm issues since being picked, and Chase Davis is still trying to get traction after a slow climb through the system. With the 2026 draft coming and the Cardinals holding the 13th overall pick, the next wave of decisions will only sharpen the questions about how well this front office has handled its best chances to land impact talent. [Read more 🡒]