Cardinals' Riley O'Brien Receives Special Honor Amid Breakout Season

Riley O'Brien has been a bright spot for St. Louis.

Jun 28, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien (61) throws in relief against the Miami Marlins in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. Louis Cardinals have lost four games in a row for the fourth time this season and enter Wednesday with a 47-43 record, two games back in the wild card race and 10 1/2 back in the National League Central.

However, they did get some good news on Tuesday in between the first and second game of their doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers. Outfielder Jordan Walker was already named an All-Star last week, but he'll have a teammate joining him in Philadelphia next week.

Closer Riley O'Brien has been named an All-Star for the first time in his career.

MLB says Riley O’Brien has been named to the NL All-Star team. Incredible achievement for a guy playing his first full big league season at 31.

— Jeff Jones (@jmjones) July 7, 2026

Riley O'Brien Named All-Star by MLB

Jun 28, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals players (from left) Alec Burleson and Blaze Jordan congratulate St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien after the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Miami Marlins at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

O'Brien currently leads the National League in saves with 22. He is also 3-3 with a 3.72 ERA this season.

This is good news for the Cardinals, who have not had more than one All-Star in a season since 2022. But beyond that, there are other factors that make this good news for St. Louis.

If the Cardinals are truly going to sell at the trade deadline, then O'Brien is likely somebody who could bring back a strong haul, and the fact that he is now an All-Star could help his stock and allow the Cardinals to sell high on him.

He brings high velocity to the table and has been one of the most dominant relievers in Major League Baseball this season, so the Cardinals could bring back a good deal of prospects for him if he is indeed traded.

The right-hander is already 31 years old, and there is no guarantee he will be able to keep this going in 2027, as relievers can be volatile. But the Cardinals need young and controllable pitching in their system, and the trade deadline is a good time for them to add that to their mix for the future.

For now though, the Cardinals will enjoy the fact that O'Brien has been named an All-Star. He is the first Cardinals reliever to make the All-Star team since Ryan Helsley in 2024.

The All-Star game takes place at Citizen's Bank Park next Tuesday. The National League won in 2025, so they will look to keep their momentum alive, but they now have an extra dominant piece in the bullpen that can help them stay on top for the third time in the last four years.

O'Brien is certainly deserving of being named an All-Star this season.