It's Time for Cardinals to Do Something About Matthew Liberatore

The Cardinals hand has been forced.

Jul 21, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. Louis Cardinals dropped to .500 with a 7-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Monday night. Left-hander Matthew Liberatore drew the start and allowed three runs over 3 2/3 innings of work. He is now 5-8 with a 5.26 ERA in 21 starts.

Hunter Dobbins came on in relief and pitched the rest of the game for St. Louis, and while he allowed four runs over 5 1/3 innings, he managed to keep the Cardinals in the game until the ninth inning.

But after another rocky start from Liberatore, the time has come for the Cardinals to finally do something about his struggles.

Cardinals must take Matthew Liberatore out of rotation

Jul 11, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) pitches against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The time has come for manager Oli Marmol to make a clear decision for the Cardinals. Liberatore has not pitched well this season and hasn't quite been the same since the beginning of the 2025 season.

So, the Cardinals have a a clear choice to make. Liberatore should soon be moved to the bullpen, while Dobbins should take his spot in the starting rotation.

Now, with Dustin May likely to be traded, another rotation spot will likely open up again. But instead of inserting Liberatore back into the rotation, the time has come to give left-hander Quinn Mathews a shot. The Cardinals also have Brycen Mautz in the minor leagues who could be used if they want to go a different direction.

But it's clear that the experiment of using Liberatore as a starter is not working for the Cardinals. Yes, they are rebuilding and want to give younger players a shot, but they can still do that and act with Liberatore. Dobbins and Mathews are ready to be given a shot, while Liberatore has continually proven he is not starter material.

This does not mean the Cardinals should send Liberatore to the minors. In fact, he has done well as a reliever in the past, but it's time for them to permanently place him in the bullpen. He simply isn't giving them a chance to win when he starts, and while the Cardinals are rebuilding, they can still make internal upgrades when things aren't going well.

Dobbins has done well, having also pitched six scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels last week, so now is a good time to give him a shot to be a part of the regular rotation for the rest of the season.