Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals 'Dark-Horse Candidate' Predicted To Replace Former All-Star Hurler

The young St. Louis hurler is ready to earn his spot
Nate Hagerty|
Jul 28, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Andrew Kittredge (27) throws against the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images
Jul 28, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Andrew Kittredge (27) throws against the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images | Jeff Le-Imagn Images

In this story:

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals moved on from several All-Star hurlers this offseason to help with their payroll reduction efforts, leaving holes to fill in the pitching staff.

For instance, right-handed pitchers Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson's 2025 club options were declined, opening the door for youngsters such as Andre Pallante and Michael McGreevy to earn spots in the Cardinals' rotation.

Also, the bullpen lost one of its most important assets from last season, All-Star reliever Andrew Kittredge. Fortunately, a St. Louis rising star hopes to replace closer Ryan Helsley's former set-up man in the back of the club's relief core this year.

"Former Rule 5 product Ryan Fernandez, one of the feel-good stories out of the bullpen in 2024, could be the dark-horse candidate to emerge as the replacement for Kittredge," MLB.com's John Denton wrote Sunday. "His slider was one of baseball’s most effective pitches last season and he’s added a nasty changeup for 2025."

Fernandez logged a 1-6 record with a 3.51 ERA, 71-to-32 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .236 batting average against and a 1.35 WHIP in 66 2/3 innings pitched for the Cardinals last season.

After spending five seasons working his way up to the top in the Boston Red Sox's farm system, the Cardinals snagged Fernandez in last offseason's Rule 5 Draft, which allows teams without a full 40-man roster to select certain non-40-man roster players from other clubs.

The 26-year-old debuted last year in St. Louis' bullpen, where he stayed for the remainder of the season. After an impressive rookie campaign, Fernandez has a golden opportunity to establish himself as a legitimate big-league reliever.

Kittredge, who logged 37 holds in 2024 -- the most by any National League reliever -- signed with the Baltimore Orioles this offseason. Fernandez has big shoes to fill but the Rule 5 underdog can't be counted out yet.

More MLB: Yankees Would Be Foolish To Overlook Cardinals Trade Option Amid Gerrit Cole Injury

Published
Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

Home/St. Louis Cardinals News