Cardinals to Promote Fireballer Hunter Dobbins

The St. Louis Cardinals are going to add to the starting rotation in the coming days.

Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Hunter Dobbins (40) throws a pitch during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals are making a change in the starting rotation.

St. Louis is smack dab in the middle of a brutal stretch right now. The Cardinals' last off day was on April 23. The club won't have another off day until May 11. That's 17 days in a row with a game. In the meantime, the Cardinals are adding another hurler into the mix in the majors in Hunter Dobbins.

Dobbins has been down with Triple-A Memphis on a minor league rehab assignment, working his way back to full strength after his 2025 season was cut short due to a torn ACL. The righty has five starts under his belt down in Triple-A and has a 4.37 ERA on the season in 22 2/3 innings pitched. On Sunday, Cardinals manager Oli Marmol confirmed that Dobbins will be promoted and make his Cardinals debut on Thursday, as shared on X by Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat.

The Cardinals Hurler Will Make His Team Debut Next Week

Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher prospect Grayson Tarlow (right) walks with pitcher Hunter Dobbins (40) during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

"Marmol says Hunter Dobbins will indeed start for the Cardinals Thursday in Pittsburgh. [Dustin May], [Kyle Leahy], [Andre Pallante] ahead of him," Jones wrote.

The Cardinals haven't moved any of their five starters to kick off the season to the bullpen. Instead, the Cardinals are going to roll with six for the time being. The big thing to be on the lookout for right now is how the club handles the rotation when that May 11 off day comes around. Will the Cardinals stick with a six-man rotation moving forward? Or, will one of the hurlers be moved to the bullpen?

These next few weeks will determine the answer to that question. Obviously, Dobbins will be someone to watch out for. He had a 4.13 ERA in 13 total appearances, including 11 starts, for the Boston Red Sox in the majors in 2025. Kyle Leahy is the other guy to watch closely. He has a 5.63 ERA in five starts so far this season across 24 innings of work, to go along with a 15-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Dobbins came over to St. Louis this past offseason in one of the club's trades with the Red Sox. The 26-year-old came over to St. Louis specifically in the deal centered around Willson Contreras.

The righty will have his first tryout in front of Cardinals fans on Thursday when St. Louis concludes a four-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hopefully, he's able to make an impression right away.