It’s Time for Cardinals to Swap Matthew Liberatore With Hunter Dobbins

One thing that has been a positive about the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals has been the fact that the organization hasn't been afraid to make a change.

The Cardinals entered the 2026 season with low expectations, but have outperformed. Before the season, it looked like a guarantee that the club would sell off pieces in some fashion at the deadline. Cardinals CEO Bill DeWitt III made it clear that winning could change the club's mind a bit about how it views the 2026 season. This is just one example of the Cardinals responding to the play on the field, rather than just being locked to a belief.

Two other examples were when the Cardinals demoted Victor Scott II and Nolan Gorman down to Triple-A. Those are two guys who were expected to play big roles for the club, but they struggled. So, the Cardinals adapted and made a change.

The Cardinals Need To Make A Change

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

Now, it's time to do the same in the starting rotation. Specifically, that should mean shifting Matthew Liberatore to the bullpen or down to Triple-A. His struggles have been talked about at length recently. It just hasn't been his season and he has a 5.18 ERA in 20 starts. This is the type of number that led to negative chatter around Miles Mikolas and Erick Fedde over the last few years. It's important to note that the talent is there. Liberatore has shown that he can be significantly better than this. Arguably, he just needs a reset and in response, Hunter Dobbins should not leave the rotation again this season after a great outing on Wednesday.

Dobbins took the mound against the Los Angeles Angels and was the stopper the Cardinals needed. St. Louis snapped its four-game losing streak behind six shutout innings from Dobbins and a good performance from the bullpen as well. The Cardinals came out on top, 1-0.

Dobbins was acquired this past offseason in the Willson Contreras trade. Last year, he had a 4.13 ERA in 13 appearances for the Boston Red Sox, including 11 starts. This season, he has a 3.18 ERA in six appearances for the Cardinals, including four starts. There is no reason why he should not be in the rotation moving forward.

The Cardinals' bullpen has been thin. Moving Liberatore to a bulk role arguably would be a good idea. He's shown throughout the season plenty of success getting through opposing orders once or maybe even twice, but then the wheels have fallen off. If he were in a bullpen role, he'd do very well.

The Cardinals have shown over and over this season that they are willing to adapt and make changes. Now, it's time to do so in the rotation.

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