Former Cardinals Pitcher Predicts Bounce Back Year for Andre Pallante

The St. Louis Cardinals were let down by their starting pitching in 2025. Not one member of the rotation finished with an ERA below four, and it was a big reason why they finished under .500 last season.

Andre Pallante struggled quite a bit last season, going 6-15 with a 5.31 ERA in 31 starts. He is still going to compete for a spot in the starting rotation in 2026, though, and with the Cardinals rebuilding, it doesn't make sense to not let him at least try to get right.

Pallante was solid as a starter in 2024, posting a 3.78 ERA. His teammate from that season, Kyle Gibson predicts that Pallante will be just fine in 2026.

How Pallante can bounce back

Aug 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante (53) pitches against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

"I've been that guy with a five ERA. I've been that guy who goes through season struggles," Gibson said.

"I think Andre, through the years with how he has bounced back, how he's made adjustments, I think he's earned himself a little bit of runway here. As he makes adjustments and how he figures out how some of this new stuff is going to work, he's going to make adjustments because he really does have that desire to put those adjustments in play and he trusts his coaches as well, and I think that's another thing. He listens really well and he's willing to try out anything."

Having pitched with Pallante in 2024, Gibson has seen the young starter at his best. The 27-year-old became a solid mid-rotation piece that year and made the necessary adjustments to become the best pitcher he possibly could.

Those adjustments paid off that year, and while he'll have to make more adjustments, there is reason to believe that he will be able to do that without a problem. Cardinals fans may be down on him after a difficult 2025 season, which is understandable, but in a year where they're rebuilding, it doesn't make sense to not give him a chance to figure things out and get back to where he needs to be.

If Pallante does bounce back, then the Cardinals rotation becomes a lot stronger, especially after the addition of Dustin May. There is still upside with Pallante's arm, and the necessary adjustments could make him a lock for the rotation for the next several years.

It will be interesting to see if Gibson's prediction comes true, but he has seen Pallante at his best, so there is reason to still believe in him.