One Cardinals Flaw Could Come Back to Haunt St. Louis in a Big Way

The St. Louis Cardinals could end up needing to make a change in the rotation.

Jun 30, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The first half of the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season was better than any St. Louis Cardinals fan could've asked for.

St. Louis entered the All-Star break sporting a 50-45 record and in third place in the National League Central. St. Louis was 8 1/2 games out of first place in the National League Central, but just one game out of a National League Wild Card spot. Last year, the Cardinals were 50-45 through 95 games, but St. Louis has done it differently this year.

The Cardinals spent the offseason trading veterans away, including Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras. The expectation around the league was that the Cardinals would be among the worst teams in the National League. But that just hasn't been the case, despite the veterans leaving the organization.

It has been a fun season, to say the least. But that doesn't mean that the Cardinals are a perfect team. Fortunately, the Cardinals have a brief break right now with the All-Star break, but they have work to do in the second half of the season if they want to maintain the success from the first half. Arguably, it starts in the starting rotation. The biggest flaw impacting the rotation right now is the performance of Matthew Liberatore.

The Cardinals Need To Keep A Close Eye On Matthew Liberatore

Jul 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Overall, Liberatore has a 5.00 ERA in 19 starts this season after serving as the team's Opening Day starter. It's important to note that Liberatore looked better in his most recent start on July 11. He pitched six shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves and looked more like the version of himself from early on this season. What version of Liberatore are the Cardinals going to get from here on out, though? From June 6 through July 5, he logged a 7.71 ERA in 25 2/3 innings pitched across six starts.

If Liberatore's start from July 11 is the version we're going to see from here on out, great. If not, then this is an issue that could negatively impact the club in the second half. If his struggles continue, then the Cardinals are going to have to make a change. Quinn Mathews would be an easy solution down in Triple-A. Hunter Dobbins could be another option. Also, No. 4 prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje was just promoted to Triple-A. Maybe he could surprise and be an option by the end of the season.

All in all, Liberatore is the guy to watch moving forward. If the Cardinals are going to get the version of him that struggled for six straight starts, it's going to be difficult to maintain the positive momentum of the first half. You can't consistently win if 20 percent of your rotation is pitching as bad as Liberatore was. Certainly something to watch for Cardinals fans.