Cardinals' Rotation Collapse Could Be Blessing In Disguise

The St. Louis Cardinals' starting rotation has been dealing with a slew of injuries, testing their depth down the stretch.

Apr 21, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The final month of the regular season will surely be interesting for the St. Louis Cardinals, especially with the recent blows to their starting rotation.

St. Louis' starting rotation has been one of the most solid units this season, even after trading Dustin May to the Milwaukee Brewers at the trade deadline, posting a 3.95 ERA, the ninth-best mark in the league. Despite the rotation's success, the Cardinals are still sitting over five games out of the playoffs with a 66-66 record.

With only 30 games left in the season, it may be difficult for the Cardinals to climb into the postseason, especially after all the issues the rotation has to deal with. St. Louis suddenly announced on Friday that five-year veteran pitcher Andre Pallante was headed to the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. Later that same day, Hunter Dobbins was forced to exit the Cardinals' game with right forearm tightness and was subsequently placed on the 15-day injured list.

St. Louis' rotation is stretched thin

Aug 17, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante (53) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Losing Pallante and Dobbins has put the Cardinals' rotation in a weird position. Pallante has started 24 games for St. Louis this season, with Dobbins filling in for May, who had started 21 games before being traded. With Kyle Leahy also on an innings restriction for the rest of the season, the Cardinals have little starting pitching depth left.

After losing four of their last five games, the Cardinals' vibes have shifted, but that may not necessarily be a bad thing. With so many starting pitchers limited, St. Louis called up Quinn Matthews, but the team still has only four on its active roster, which could give other hurlers a chance to start.

"Down in Triple-A, Cooper Hjerpe has been dynamite on the mound, posting a 0.60 ERA in four starts since being called up to the level," MLB.com's Josh Jacobs wrote on Monday. "Drafted in the first round by the Cardinals in 2022, Hjerpe could make his MLB debut soon, but he is on his own innings restriction in his return from April 2025 Tommy John surgery and hasn’t gone beyond 4 2/3 innings pitched in a game this season.

"The Cardinals recently signed veteran left-hander Josh Fleming to a Minor League deal, and in his first start for Memphis on Sunday, he covered five innings of work while allowing four runs. Fleming could certainly provide the Cardinals with a veteran presence, but he has not regularly started games at the Major League level since 2021."

In addition to giving other hurlers a chance to pitch in the big leagues, St. Louis' rotation issue could also be good as the team falls in the standings. The Cardinals were never going to be true contenders this season and need to continue building up their farm system. Focusing on player development now should be the team's top long-term priority.