Cardinals Need to Pay Attention to Quinn Mathews Right Now

One thing that has been true about the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals so far this season is the fact that they have not been afraid to make a change when necessary.

Two big examples we've seen this season are when the Cardinals demoted outfielder Victor Scott II and third baseman Nolan Gorman. Both were expected to play big roles for this team, but neither delivered offensively and now they are both still down in Triple-A.

Blaze Jordan was called up from the minors and Nathan Church was activated off the Injured List. Soon enough, the next change the club should make is in the starting rotation. Matthew Liberatore has a 5.34 ERA in 18 starts so far this season and -0.5 wins above replacement. The talent is there, but he hasn't gotten results this season.

The Cardinals should make a change and part of the reason why this is the case is how well Quinn Mathews is pitching down in Triple-A right now. The Cardinals' No. 6 overall prospect is thriving at the moment and should get his call to the majors.

The Cardinals Need To Promote Quinn Mathews

Feb 27, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Quinn Mathews (60) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He has a 3.53 ERA in 17 starts so far this season. But his numbers look even better when you dig in further. Since May 28, Mathews has logged a 1.87 ERA in 43 1/3 innings pitched across eight starts. That's not a small sample size any longer. He looks like the real deal. On Thursday, he pitched seven shutout innings against the Gwinnett Stripers and struck out seven batters while allowing just two base hits.

Mathews actually has recorded exactly seven strikeouts in three straight starts and he hasn't allowed more than two runs in a start since June 16.

All in all, Mathews is pitching on another level right now. Cardinals fans have known about him for a long time and have been waiting for things to click. It seems like they are right now in Triple-A. Mathews is yet to make his big league debut, but that should happen in 2026 and it should happen very soon. He's playing that well right now.

Liberatore has talent. He was the club's Opening Day starter for a reason. But arguably, he's better suited for a multi-inning relief role, rather than starting. If the Cardinals were to make a move — either Liberatore to the bullpen or down to the minors — Mathews would be the best option to call up now. That may not have been the case over the last few weeks, but he just keeps getting better.

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