Reports last week suggested that the Cardinals were thinking about utilizing a six-man rotation as a way of finding innings for both the veterans on the staff and for the younger arms the Cards are prioritizing in this semi-rebuild year for the franchise. Manager Oliver Marmol confirmed to reporters (including The Athletic’s Katie Woo) today that the Cardinals will indeed use six starters during a busy stretch of the schedule that will see St. Louis play 26 games over 27 days from April 11 through May 7.
There is a bit of surprise in which starters will be involved in the expanded rotation, as the Cards optioned Michael McGreevy to Triple-A Memphis today. McGreevy is one of the Cardinals’ top pitching prospects, and after impressing in his first 23 MLB innings last season, seemed poised to break camp with the team after posting a 1.08 ERA over 16 2/3 spring innings.
However, Matthew Liberatore also turned heads in camp, with a 1.62 across his own 16 2/3 frames of work. As a result, Liberatore was named as one of the initial starting five (along with Sonny Gray, Miles Mikolas, Erick Fedde, and Andre Pallante), with Steven Matz slated to work as a long man before becoming the sixth starter.
Obviously, a single injury could change these plans considerably, and some other health issues in camp also perhaps factored in the Cardinals’ plans. Zack Thompson and Drew Rom are both dealing with injuries, so McGreevy became needed as a Triple-A depth arm given the lack of other ready options. Given how rare it is for a pitching staff to get through a season in one piece, it might not be long before McGreevy gets another opportunity in the Show.
The “you can never have too much pitching” mantra looms large in what is technically a surplus situation for the Cardinals pitching staff. Yet the number of arms available also relates to a strangely quiet offseason, as the Cards ended up retaining most of their veteran talent despite their stated goal last fall to view 2025 as something of a re-development year. The team’s inability to trade Nolan Arenado garnered the most headlines, yet on the pitching end, St. Louis also opted to keep Fedde, who has only one year remaining on his contract. Gray had no interest in waiving his no-trade clause to go elsewhere, and trading Mikolas or Matz (also free agents next winter) could’ve probably required the Cards to eat some money since both pitchers are coming off down years.
Mikolas or Matz could be more plausibly moved closer to the deadline, perhaps in salary-dump fashion once some of their salaries are already doled out over the first half. Fedde might be one of the most sought-after rental pitchers at the deadline if he matches his 2024 form, though naturally the Cardinals are hoping they can return to contention this year, rather than look to sell at the deadline.
Marmol also announced the rest of the Cardinals’ roster for Opening Day, including the news that Victor Scott II won the team’s center field competition. Scott was battling with Michael Siani for the job, yet Scott outhit not only Siani (who struggled badly) but also just about the rest of the team by posting a 1.225 OPS over 49 plate appearances. Scott may not play every single day since Lars Nootbaar also figures to get some time in center as the Cardinals juggle around their lineup, but Scott has put himself in position to get the lion’s share of playing time up the middle.
Arenado, Willson Contreras, and Masyn Winn will be the only true lineup regulars for St. Louis, and Brendan Donovan is also expected to play every day but at multiple positions. Moving Arenado would’ve helped open up third base and a lineup position to get more players onto the field, yet Marmol said he is confident of the team’s plans to rotate players around without necessarily adhering to strict platoons.
“I’m going to do my absolute best to get everybody the necessary amount of at-bats for us to know what we have at the end of the year….We’ll see what this looks like in 30 days, 60 days, 90 days. But we’ll have a [lineup] rotation that while we’re all healthy, still gets guys at-bats,” Marmol said.
Infielder Jose Fermin won’t be part of this mix in the early going, as Fermin was optioned to Triple-A today. Woo notes that Fermin was told earlier this week that he would be part of the Opening Day roster, yet the Cardinals’ plan apparently changed in the last few days. Without Fermin, the Cards don’t have a proper backup shortstop, yet the versatile Donovan will handle that role if Winn is given a breather.
Who cares?
The cardinal faithful. That’s who!
You and who else?
“Always an A’s fan” —
Up until Last season, an average of 3,000,000 a year are going through the Cardinals Turnstiles !!
That’s the Cardinals Faithful!!!
How many faithful did you have going through the turnstiles in Oakland???
Oh!! —- that’s right!!! —- the A’s had to move out of Oakland because they had
“No Faithful A’s Fans!!!
Honestly an A’s fan making that statement is super funny.
Definitely not hurt by the team playing in AAA for a few years after them not showing they didn’t CARE one bit about you all. lol
I agree! The Cardinal faithful do care!!
The Problem over the past few years is —— the Owners did not want to invest in any other top quality players such as Arenado and Goldschmidt through Free Agency.
Mozeliak wouldn’t trade prospects for “Top Quality” —— proven MLB players.
Contreras, Gray, Fedde? They’ve added to Arenado and Goldschmidt. The problem is that Arenado and Goldy disappeared starting in the 2022 playoffs and never came back.
Biggest bunch of suckers in America today. I understand that to park your car near the parking garage at Busch, it will cost you $50.00.
I paid $25 for the shortest walk of my life right across the street from the gate. And it was vs the Dodgers too.
@kenny
Be sure you make everyone aware on every chat board when you don’t care about something. It’s endearing and makes you look like a real cool 12 year old.
Why come here if you don’t “care”?
That’s the good thing about the internet…you don’t have to read (or post). If this post had been about a team I don’t follow, I would have just skipped. But because it’s about a team I follow…
Dumb take Kenny
Don’t be a dick Kenny.
I believe gorman has another option year left. id send him to the minors to learn how to hit and play 3rd to prep for arenados departure. let fermin be the backup SS cuz you wouldn’t feel pressure to play him.
also, mcgreevy deserves to be in the majors. they need to figure out a way to give him a real shot.
Trade Fedde and put McGreevy in the rotation.
Trade Fedde tomorrow. With the pitching injuries teams like the Yanks have already faced—they’d have no problem getting a solid return.
@bigz
They are probably using a six man rotation because the first one of the six, that breaks out, will be traded.
Trade Fedde and Arenado to the Yankees. Solves two logjams at once.
Then what happens if Matz or someone else gets hurt, or Mikolas sucks again and gets DFAed, or Liberatore still can’t get righties out and gets demoted back to the bullpen? I bet an opportunity will open up for McGreevy before long.
Besides, the Cardinals are still trying to compete, and they need they’re 2nd best starter (Fedde) to take their best shot.
McGreevy will be up soon I’m sure. I’m concerned he will be replacing Sonny Gray who has been lit up in spring training and the second half of last year. Pretty sure something isn’t right with him and his velocity is down as well
The article doesn’t really mention the fate of Siani, so I assume that means he made the team at the expense of Fermin.
That, of course, makes no sense. But hey, it’s Mo! Give him a chance to make a bad decision and he’ll take it every time. 2026 can’t get here fast enough.
Moe is a clown
I’ve always heard rumors that John Mozeliak was a key force in sticking a knife in his Boss Jockerty’s back to get him fired so he could get the job himself!!!
Mozeliak never knew baseball!!! He was just a good numbers man for Jockerty.
After all of Jockerty’s developed and acquired players were 90% gone after 2012— That’s when it really started to really show that Mozeliak hadn’t kept or didn’t know how to keep the Cardinals system up —- as all of the other previous General Managers had done who had preceded him!!!!
2012-2016 Cardinals were incredibly successful and built basically all by Mozeliak. Jocketys way of building a team wouldn’t have worked, Mo wanted to start developing the minors put Luhnow in charge of successful drafts that saw the cardinals have the homegrown talent to sustain the losses of Berkman, Pujols, Larussa and Dave Duncan. They had enough talent to get to the World Series with Mike freakin Matheny managing the team. Mo has overstayed his welcome, sure, but you cant rewrite history and act like he held his job for around 20 years with no merit, That would be ridiculous. Jockety left in 2007 and the Cardinals didnt have a losing record until 2023.
Then it’s strange how he managed to do exactly that until 2022.
Can Fermin play elite CF or corner outfield defense as a defensive replacement? No? Okay then Siani makes sense.
The argument would be that they’re in more need of a backup middle infielder who might also hit decently off the bench than they are of a defensive replacement in the OF. They do have Donovan as a backup corner outfielder, while Nootbaar backs up center field. I can the see the case either way.
This six-man rotation could push teams to rethink bullpen construction, as it reduces overall reliance on middle relievers and places a heavier focus on utilizing pitchers who can go deeper into games. This approach may quietly disrupt bullpen usage norms over the coming years.
Six man rotations are nothing new. The bullpen will still have to cover just as many innings. They’ll just have one less pitcher to utilize in the bullpen because they’ll be carrying an extra starter.
@Lloyd Emerson
Last year, MLB starters averaged 5.2 innings—Cards could nudge that up to 5.5 or 6 with this crew. That’s 3-6 fewer innings per week for the pen, even with one less reliever.
This forces a bullpen quality-over-quantity shift. Most teams carry 8 relievers, right? Say the Cards drop to 7 with this sixth starter. They’re not losing a mop-up guy—they’re ditching the shaky middle-inning arm (think a 5.00 ERA filler) and keeping only high-leverage studs (sub-3.50 ERA types like Helsley or King).
Roycroft and Leahy aren’t exactly high leverage studs, at least not yet, although I get your basic point.
wrong Jose Fermin linked
I would rather see McGreevy in the 6 man rotation and keep Matz or Liberatore in the bullpen. I thought he did everything he had to in order to make the team. Hope it doesn’t mess with his head in AAA.
I agree “From Office Stan “.
Mozeliak has been notorious in doing just that!!
He’s never been able to evaluate the true talent of any of his prospective prospects talents!! He’s kept the questionable player prospects (like Gorman) and traded or released the Stars.
A great example of that is to
Look at the prospects and young players he traded off for absolutely nothing and they became instant stars!! Plus won Play-Off MVP and Cy Young recognition awards, etc., immediately after they were traded!!
Arozarena, Alcantra, Edman, García —— and on —- and on —- and on!!!
None of the guys you mentioned are stars.
Arozarena had one good playoff run and he’s been average or worse since. Nootbaar has been more valuable in much less playing time.
Garcia had one good season with a ton of batted ball luck and fluky good defensive play then been average or worse the rest of the time.
Alcantara was with the Marlins for 4 years as an average starter before having a lucky year in 2022 and winning a Cy Young he didn’t deserve over Nola or Rodon. Then he was back to his average self for 2023 and had TJS in 2024.
Edman a star? Yeah okay.
Edman was worth trading to get Fedde, and only Arozarena immediately became a star. (Even Alcantara took a year after he was traded to break out.) Where exactly would the Cardinals play Edman if they still had him?
Meanwhile, those (and Gallen) are really the only examples. He’s made plenty more trades where the Cardinals came out ahead or were good for both sides.
Having a six man rotation opens up the spots for both Liberatore, who has looked great this spring, and McGreevy to be in the rotation. That’s the whole point.
Except McGreevy isn’t, which actually was the point of my comment. I’m not questioning the merits of a 6 man rotation…
I’d rather have Matz in the rotation with Liberatore in the bullpen, and I hope the leash is really short with Mikolas, but overall it’s a decent plan for now.
How did Pallante beat out Matz for a rotation spot? Matz had a much better ST
Because Pallante had already earned a spot from his performance last year. He didn’t need to perform well with such a small sample size in Spring Training to win a spot.
Guys like Winn, Donovan, Arenado, Gray, and even Gorman and Walker were also guaranteed spots despite having bad Spring Trainings.
That’s fair although it’s not like Pallante had a great season. Matz hasn’t stayed healthy his whole career either though.
why does gray get an opening day start with a 12.56 ERA. Yes it’s a spring stat, but reward someone for doing well (McGreevy?) for a good spring.
Yet another indication that the Cardinals care more about the roster flexibility than winning games.
Spring Training is absolutely meaningless in that regard. Gray is the clear Ace on the team, so he obviously gets the Opening Day start.
McGreevy isn’t even on the MLB roster for Opening Day, anyway, although he probably should be.