This pitcher aims to start Opening Day for St. Louis

ByNBAUSA


The St. Louis Cardinals have been treading water over the last few seasons, and that reflects the state of their starting staff. The top of the rotation is wide open, what with Sonny Gray headed to the Boston Red Sox in a blockbuster trade last offseason. It’s clear that the Cardinals are going for a more youth movement, although it remains to be seen who will be able to step up among the members of their pitching staff.

But one of their young pitchers in Matthew Liberatore did not lacking in confidence anything. In fact, one of Liberatore’s goals is to be the Cardinals’ starting pitcher on Opening Night.

“Yeah, I’m not going to lie, I want (that Opening Day starting role),” Liberatore said on the Cardinal Territori podcast.

The lefty became a full-time starter for the first time in 2025 and has proven to be a mainstay for the Cardinals. Liberatore works best as a deceptive pitcher who can cause weak contact because his stuff isn’t exactly over the top.

However, he is only 26 years old. The 4.21 ERA he posted in 2025 could improve, and he should if he wants to become the ace of this new-look Cardinals starting rotation.

Can the young Cardinals break through in 2026?

Cardinals shortstop Masin Wynn (0) reacts after the play
© Denis Poroi-Imagn Images

The Cardinals finished 78-84 last season and appear to have gotten worse during the offseason with the departures of Gray and Wilson Contrerasboth for the Boston Red Sox.

The front office is gambling on their youth to step up; all of the Cardinals’ projected position players and starting pitchers, except for third baseman Nolan Arenado, are under 30 years old. They’re betting those players, especially star-in-the-making Masin Wynn, will take the next step in their development.

They are certainly counting on major internal improvements from the starting pitching rotation, as Liberatore stands out as their best option.





2026-01-09 06:56:00

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