The Cardinals have spent this season testing out new roles, and one of the most successful trials has been Kyle Leahy moving from high-leverage relief into the rotation. He came into spring training as a starter after working as a reliever in 2025, and the early returns have been strong.
That kind of shift is exactly why Lance Lynn thinks Gordon Graceffo should get a look as a starter in 2027.
"You definitely want to be a starter. It pays more, you get more days off, you have so much more fun in life," Lynn joked.
"If we want to look at the way this has kind of gone for the starters that are in the rotation, look at (Andre) Pallante, look at (Matthew) Liberatore, Leahy. Is Graceffo the next in line to do what they've done, and a starter past in the minor leagues?
You forever want to be starter. He's had a great year, I'm happy for him, and if you look at what the rest of the crew has done that's in the rotation, they've all followed the same path when they've gotten their opportunities, so I'm hoping they let him do that>
Graceffo does have that background. He was a starting pitcher in the minor leagues, and the Cardinals have shown they can turn relievers into starters. Adam Wainwright and Lynn are two of the best-known examples, while Leahy and Pallante have also made the transition work.
There’s also a practical side to it. Giving Graceffo a shot in the rotation would add depth for 2027, something St. Louis could use after losing Hunter Dobbins to an arm injury and seeing Richard Fitts miss the entire season with a lat injury.
Graceffo has already given the Cardinals a reason to think bigger. He recently worked three perfect innings against the Baltimore Orioles, and that kind of outing only strengthens the case for a longer look as a starter.
It’s not a move that works every time, but the Cardinals have enough reason to keep exploring it. More depth never hurts, and Graceffo’s track record gives them a real option to consider.
In Other News...
Cardinals Are Adding An Overlooked Arm As Bullpen Questions Linger
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Rincons call-up is the more intriguing one from a pitching standpoint. After eight seasons in the minors, he has settled into a multi-inning relief role and logged 71 1/3 innings with a 4.04 ERA at Triple-A Memphis this season, enough to make him a useful arm as the Cardinals try to stabilize the middle innings without a lot of margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals May Have A Faster Path In Mind For Rainiel Rodriguez
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Assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio said Rodriguez has already seen some time at first base, and the Cardinals plan to look at more defensive options for him this offseason. It is a familiar kind of development pivot for a bat-first prospect, especially for a team still trying to sort out longer-term answers at third base or first base, and Rodriguezs path may end up being shaped as much by where he can fit defensively as by what he has already shown at the plate. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Catch A Dodgers Break They Really Did Not Need
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For St. Louis, the timing matters because Smith has been one of the most important players in the Dodgers lineup and his return comes after he was limited by a neck injury and sidelined for nearly three months. Any time a contender can restore that kind of bat and stability at catcher, it changes the way an opponent has to game-plan, and the Cardinals now have one more hurdle waiting for them in a series that already had little margin for error. [Read more 🡒]