Cardinals’ Pitching Future Looks Bright as Matthew Liberatore Emerges as Breakout Ace in 2025
The winds of change could be blowing through Busch Stadium this summer. For once, the outlook is downright exciting for the Cardinals, particularly when looking at the potential of lefty Matthew Liberatore.
With veteran pitchers Erick Fedde, Miles Mikolas, and Steven Matz all in contract years, the St. Louis Cardinals may be facing a major rotation shake-up before the July 31 trade deadline. Whether those arms are dealt or walk in free agency, the Cardinals know one thing for sure: they’ve got young talent ready to step up.
And leading the charge is Matthew Liberatore, who is putting together the kind of season that turns potential into promise.
Once considered a post-hype prospect, the 25-year-old lefty entered spring training as a longshot to land a rotation spot. Now? He’s quickly establishing himself as one of the biggest breakout stars of 2025.
“He has rewarded the Cardinals with the lowest walk rate in baseball… and complemented it with only one home run allowed,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote this week. “With a six-pitch mix, Liberatore has cemented himself as a fixture for a Cardinals team in need of a reimagination.”
The numbers back it up. Through five appearances, Liberatore owns a 2-2 record, a sharp 3.19 ERA, 28 strikeouts to just 2 walks, a .235 opponent batting average, and a stingy 0.97 WHIP across 31 innings. That kind of command—and confidence—has him looking every bit like a front-end starter.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter also just ranked Liberatore as the 10th-best left-handed starter in baseball this season. Reuter placed him among elite company and further validating what Cards fans are seeing on the mound.
Liberatore, Pallante and Grey
And it’s not just Liberatore making waves. Andre Pallante, now 26, is carving out his own spot in the rotation, giving the Cardinals a powerful one-two punch of young arms who are showing up and showing out.
Looking further down the pipeline, St. Louis has even more arms on the rise. Quinn Matthews, a high-ceiling southpaw with strikeout stuff, along with Michael McGreevy, the team’s 2021 first-round pick, are rising through the minors and could soon be in the big show.
And don’t forget the anchor: Sonny Gray. A three-time All-Star and current ace, Grey is locked in through 2026. Together with Matthew Liberatore (and a couple rising stars), and this rotation could go from question mark to powerhouse sooner than expected. Particularly if Phil Maton and Ryan Helsley are not moved to contenders.
For a team that hasn’t been known for developing pitchers since Jeff Luhnow left, this new turn of events is good in the short term and could be huge for years to come.
