Kyle Leahy Took Massive Step Forward for Cardinals in 2026

Kyle Leahy was a revelation.

Sep 12, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Kyle Leahy (62) delivers against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After allowing one run over two innings pitched against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, Kyle Leahy's season has come to an end. The right-hander was inserted into the St. Louis Cardinals starting rotation for the 2026 season, and while he got off to a slow start, he eventually settled into a groove and became the team's most consistent starter.

Leahy was one of the team's top relievers last season, but Chaim Bloom wanted to see what Leahy could do as a starter, and the right-hander passed the test. After Leahy's exit, Brenden Schaeffer of MLB.com posted the right-hander's numbers to close out the 2026 season.

Final tallies for Kyle Leahy:

10-5, 3.66 ERA, 132 Ks in 140 innings

Started the year as something of an experiment in the rotation and turned himself into a very sturdy MLB starter for the Cardinals https://t.co/yrI1sSriin
— Brenden Schaeffer🎳 (@bschaeffer12) September 24, 2026

Kyle Leahy grew as a pitcher in 2026

Towards the end of August, the Cardinals began to limit Leahy's innings. This was done in an effort to protect his arm and keep him fully healthy for 2027. Of course, this was Leahy's first full year as a starter, so it was wise to be careful with him.

He started only one game for the Cardinals in 2025, and this is not uncommon for pitchers transitioning from the bullpen to the rotation these days. The Chicago White Sox did this with Garrett Crochet in 2024 to prepare him to be a starter for a full season. In 2025 with the Boston Red Sox, Crochet was a Cy Young finalist.

This does not automatically mean that Leahy is going to become a Cy Young contender, but the Cardinals do know that he has a lot of upside, and protecting that upside is key. The Cardinals need to make sure he is healthy for 2027. Without him, the rotation would take a big hit, especially since the Cardinals likely aren't going to be in play for arms like Tarik Skubal.

They may choose to start Leahy on opening day next year. A lockout is likely, so that could change things a little bit, but overall, Leahy's first full year as a starter was a success, and that is a positive sign for the Cardinals going forward.

They may add some rotation help in the offseason to give themselves a better chance in 2027, but Leahy is a big part of their plans for the future, and the fact he successfully made the transition to the rotation is encouraging for the organization.

The Cardinals have had success turning relievers into starters, with Adam Wainwright being the best example, but they've done it again with Leahy.

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