Matthew Liberatore Reveals Cardinals Icon's Advice for Opening Day Start

What does Liberatore need to do to get the Cards off to a strong start?

Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Matthew Liberatore (32) throws a pitch during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

Being named a team's opening day starter is an honor every pitcher dreams about, and this season, St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore got that honor for the first time in his career.

Liberatore, the 26-year-old former first-round pick who put up a 4.21 ERA in 29 starts for the Cardinals last year, doesn't match the typical criteria for an "ace." But on a St. Louis team that is hoping to develop a serviceable rotation on the fly, it's an opportunity for Liberatore to start shouldering an ace's workload right from the jump.

Fortunately for the Cardinals, Liberatore had the chance to talk to a guy who has a lengthy opening day pedigree, and who knows the keys to success in St. Louis better than anyone on the current roster.

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What Adam Wainwright told Liberatore about pitching opening day

Oct 1, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pinch hitter Adam Wainwright (50) tips his cap as he receives a standing ovation after his final at bat during the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Retired Cardinals All-Star Adam Wainwright, who pitched on opening day seven times throughout his career in St. Louis, was in camp this week and had the chance to give Liberatore some advice, which the southpaw relayed on Wednesday.

“I haven't really talked to anybody about that prior," Liberatore said, per Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "The answer that I got from him was almost what I expected. It's just another ballgame, and we still got to go play three outs every inning and play nine innings and try to win a baseball game. That's exactly what we're going to go do.”

Particularly to a newcomer like Liberatore, that opening day start can feel like something bigger than it actually is. It only counts the same in the standings as each of the 161 games that come afterward, and a team can easily lose that game, only to turn around and win the series they're starting.

But for Liberatore, a good start against the Tampa Bay Rays next Thursday could also jump-start a breakout campaign. Having a young lefty with front-of-the-rotation credibility would be a huge win for the Cards as they look to quickly turn themselves into contenders.