Hunter Dobbins Arrives: What to Know Before Cardinals Debut

The St. Louis Cardinals will conclude their ongoing four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday afternoon with a chance for a sweep.

St. Louis took the first three games of the contest against the Pirates, including a wild walk-off home run robbery from Nathan Church on Wednesday night to secure St. Louis' third straight win over Pittsburgh.

The Cardinals will go for the sweep on Thursday with arguably the most intriguing matchup of the series. Pittsburgh will send Paul Skenes to the mound, who seemingly dominates every team out there except the Cardinals. St. Louis will turn to Hunter Dobbins, who was acquired from the Boston Red Sox this past offseason, as he makes his first start in a Cardinals uniform.

Who Is Hunter Dobbins?

Feb 17, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Hunter Dobbins (40). Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Dobbins is a 26-year-old former eighth-round pick who made his big league debut in 2025 as a member of the Red Sox. Dobbins was drafted out of Texas Tech after logging a 1.35 ERA in his final college season. He worked his way through the Red Sox's farm system and debuted in 2025 against the Cardinals on April 6. That day, the Red Sox came out on top, 18-7, in one of the more memorable games of the Cardinals' 2025 season, although not in a positive way.

Overall, Dobbins pitched in 13 games in his rookie season, including 11 starts, and had a 4.13 ERA and 4-1 record before his season was ended early on July 11. Dobbins got the start against the Tampa Bay Rays and in the second inning, went over to cover first base on a grounder but he tore his ACL in the process. The injury ended his season and is what has delayed him in the majors this season.

What To Expect From Hunter Dobbins

When Dobbins is at his best, he has a big fastball, solid slider and uses a curveball a good chunk of the time, among other pitches. He gets guys to hit the ball on the ground. In 2025, he was in the 78th percentile in ground ball rate. That style of pitching should work well in St. Louis, which has one of the best overall defenses in the game. The Cardinals are actually third in the league right now as a team with nine outs above average.

On top of that, Dobbins was in the 69th percentile in fastball velocity, 75th percentile in barrel rate and 74th percentile in walk rate. He has good command of the zone and he gets outs on the ground.

Overall, he should be a good addition to the rotation for St. Louis. It's currently unknown how long the club will use a six-man rotation. But, for now, he should help.

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