Cardinals Send 4-Year Veteran Down, Narrow Opening Day Bullpen Competition

The St. Louis Cardinals still have some open spots on their Opening Day roster for 2026. The team optioned right-hander Richard Fitts to Triple-A Memphis, effectively setting their rotation to start the season, but the bullpen competition remains open.

However, that too has narrowed a little bit. St. Louis has four pitchers competing for the last bullpen spot. Matt Pushard, Chris Roycroft, Gordon Graceffo and George Soriano are vying for the last available role.

According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, right-hander Scott Blewett, who was also competing for a spot in the bullpen, was reassigned to minor league camp, though Goold mentions that he will still be available out of the 'pen for the rest of Grapefruit League play.

Cardinals option Scott Blewett

Jul 5, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Scott Blewett (67) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the sixth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Blewett was signed to a minor league contract late in the offseason. The 29-year-old right-hander is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in six spring training appearances.

The Cardinals still have a lot of options for the final spot in their bullpen, but the picture is becoming much clearer. Blewett has performed well, but ultimately, the Cardinals still have a lot of competition and need to narrow it down before they break camp on Sunday.

Soriano might be the favorite to land the final spot, but there is still a little time left to determine who will come away with it.

Blewett is at the very least a solid depth option for St. Louis. In case of an injury, he could be brought back up to the majors to fill a spot in the bullpen.

The 29-year-old has pitched for the Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles, so he has bounced around quite a bit, but he is a good piece for the Cardinals to have in their system in case something goes wrong.

It will certainly be interesting to see how the Cardinals' bullpen competition shakes out over the next couple of days leading up to the end of Grapefruit League play. The picture is becoming clearer with just a few days left to decide who will take the final spot in the 'pen.

The rebuilding Cardinals are fortunate to at least have a lot of pitching depth in their system, and Blewett is still a viable option in the event that an injury takes place and forces the Cardinals to dig into their depth to replace somebody for a time.