The St. Louis Cardinals are firmly focused on rebuilding after another season without a playoff appearance. To strengthen their future, they’ve made key hires to enhance their minor league system. With trade speculation surrounding Nolan Arenado, the Cardinals have stayed relatively quiet this offseason, leaving noticeable gaps in their roster, particularly in the pitching department.
According to John Denton of MLB.com, one potential solution could come internally. Matthew Liberatore, who emerged as a reliable bullpen arm in 2024, is preparing to transition back to a starting role in 2025.
“Cardinals LHP Matthew Liberatore, who found his niche in 2024 as a dependable reliever, said he’s working to be a starter in Spring Training and 2025,” Denton shared on social media. “‘It’s easier to go from five innings to one than one to five,’ he said. The key for Liberatore will be improving vs. righties.”
Liberatore, now 25 and entering his fourth season with the team, has had a mixed career so far. In 2022 and 2023, he alternated between starting and relieving, accumulating 18 starts and 13 relief outings with a 5.51 ERA. However, 2024 saw notable progress as he posted a 4.40 ERA across six starts and 54 relief appearances.
While Liberatore’s development could boost the rotation, it won’t be enough to address the Cardinals’ broader pitching struggles, which have played a significant role in their decision to rebuild. His contributions might provide stability, but they’re unlikely to fuel a surprise postseason run for St. Louis.
The Cardinals need major pitching improvements for 2025
The St. Louis Cardinals have brought in Chaim Bloom, the former general manager of the Boston Red Sox, to revamp their farm system. A primary focus of this overhaul is addressing the team’s lack of homegrown pitching talent. In 2024, Andre Pallante was the only pitcher with over 20 starts who began his career with the Cardinals. To compete for championships, the team recognizes that developing pitching internally is essential, and Matthew Liberatore has the potential to play a significant role in that effort.
However, as John Denton pointed out, Liberatore must improve significantly against right-handed hitters to succeed as a starter. His career splits reveal a stark contrast: he has allowed a .292 batting average and 18 of his 21 career home runs to righties, compared to a .212 average and only three home runs against lefties. Additionally, he has issued 61 walks to right-handed batters, compared to just 10 to left-handers.
With three key starting pitchers—Miles Mikolas, Erick Fedde, and Steven Matz—set to hit free agency after the 2025 season, the Cardinals may look to trade them at the deadline if their rebuild continues. In that scenario, having homegrown talent like Liberatore ready to step into the rotation would be invaluable. Preparing him as a starter from the outset of the season could ease this potential transition.
While the Cardinals could turn to free agency to bolster their rotation, developing pitchers internally remains a more cost-effective and sustainable strategy for filling innings in 2025 and beyond.
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