Cardinals 1.17 ERA Hurler Could Rejoin Bullpen By Tuesday

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to bring back an intriguing arm for the bullpen.

Feb 14, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryan Fernandez (64) delivers a pitch during a spring training workout at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

It sure sounds like the St. Louis Cardinals are going to be getting a boost for the bullpen that fans have been looking for.

With Matt Svanson struggling in the majors, there was a lot of chatter about why the club should promote Ryan Fernandez to help out in the majors. On Saturday, he was able to make the jump back to the big leagues because of the fact that the Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds were rained out on Friday leading to a doubleheader on Saturday. With a doubleheader, teams are able to expand their rosters. Fernandez was the guy for the Cardinals and he pitched two scoreless innings against the Reds while striking out four batters.

He was technically sent back down to the minors on Sunday, but Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the current expectation is that Fernandez will be back on the roster in the majors in the coming days and potentially as soon as Monday.

The Cardinals Will Have The Veteran Back Soon

Apr 29, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryan Fernandez (64) throws in the outfield before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

"Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez traveled farther on paper Sunday than he did in reality, and his return trip will be even shorter," Goold wrote. "The Cardinals went through the necessary transactions to return Fernandez, the 27th player for Saturday’s doubleheader, to Class AAA Memphis. But the right-hander remained in Cincinnati, near the ballpark, and the team’s plan, according to sources familiar with it, is to bring him back either Monday or possibly Tuesday to join the bullpen for the series in Milwaukee. ...

"[Optioning Matt Svanson] opened a right-handed spot in the bullpen set to be filled by Fernandez. But first, the Cardinals were considering keeping [Brycen Mautz] on the roster so that he can be a factor as they open the series in Milwaukee."

Svanson was optioned on Sunday to make room for Mautz to make his big league debut, although the contest ended up getting rained out. Mautz is still on the big league roster, but expect to see Fernandez back on the roster in the next few days. The easiest and most obvious way to do so would be to option Mautz.

Fernandez is 27 years old and has pitched in five games so far this season and has a 1.17 ERA in 7 2/3 innings pitched. His best season came back in 2024 as a rookie. That year, he had a 3.51 ERA in 62 outings. Last year, he had a 7.71 ERA in 32 appearances for the Cardinals.