Why Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore is Pumped for Opening Day

The St. Louis Cardinals are set to open the 2026 season on Thursday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays. The team looks a lot different than it did at the end of 2025, as big names such as Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan are all with new teams after being traded this past offseason.

However, that hasn't changed what the ultimate goal is for this team. They still hope to compete and stay as relevant as possible.

On Wednesday, as the team was making its final preparations for Opening Day, left-hander Matthew Liberatore, who has drawn the start for the first game shared why he is still optimistic about 2026.

Why Matthew Liberatore is excited for 2026

"Up and down the lineup, between hitters, starters, and relievers, I think we just have a lot of really good energy and exciting talent," the left-hander said. "And guys are genuinely hungry to go out and compete this year, and I think that that's what excites me the most.”

The roster may look different for the Cardinals this year, but the goals remain the same despite their rebuild. They are not expected to be a contender, but Liberatore seems to believe that despite being counted out early, this team will surprise some people.

It is always possible. JJ Wetherholt made the Opening Day roster and is expected to have a big year, and players such as Alec Burleson, Masyn Winn and Ivan Herrera are returning. The team also signed Dustin May, Ryne Stanek and Ramon Urias to strengthen its roster, so it isn't as if the Cardinals are completely punting on 2026.

They have some intriguing trade chips if things go wrong, but there's a chance that they won't have to worry about that. Liberatore himself now has a full season as a starter under his belt and has the chance to go out and prove that he is the ace the Cardinals have been missing.

The Cardinals acquired him from the Rays in the Randy Arozarena deal, but now he is one of the major keys to determine what the future will look like in St. Louis. Now is a chance for the Cardinals to get the most bang for their buck out of what was once considered a lopsided deal.

But if Liberatore can become the ace the Cardinals expect him to be, 2026 could look a lot different than expected.