Why Cardinals Fans Shouldn't Quit on Riley O'Brien as Closer Yet

It's been an up and down year for Riley O'Brien.

Sep 14, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien (61) celebrates with catcher Leo Bernal (13) after the Cardinals defeated the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the earliest success stories of the 2026 season for the St. Louis Cardinals was the emergence of closer Riley O'Brien. He leads the National League with 37 saves and was an All-Star this season alongside Jordan Walker and Ivan Herrera. However, the Cardinals have struggled in the second half, and O'Brien has dealt with more than his fair share.

O'Brien is also near the top of the league in blown saves, and his most recent one came last week against the Chicago White Sox. But now isn't the time to give up on O'Brien, especially in a rebuilding season. Former Cardinal Lance Lynn explained why that is and why he still has a future as the team's closer going forward.

"I think if you look at the beginning of the year and you say, 'Hey, he has 30-plus saves and made an All-Star team', that's a hell of a year for him," Lynn said. "I think we need to realize it's also his first full year in the big leagues even with his age."

Cardinals fans shouldn't quit on O'Brien despite struggles

O'Brien is 31 years old, but has been a late bloomer. He had yet to pitch a full season in the major leagues, but finally got that opportunity this year. Despite his struggles of late, he still has been a solid piece for the Cardinals.

It's been a while since the Cardinals had a truly dominant closer. Even Ryan Helsley had his hiccups at times. The last truly dominant closer they had was Jason Isringhausen. But with more experience, O'Brien can be that guy.

There were bound to be rough patches at some point during the year, and while it wouldn't hurt to have another arm with closing experience next year, O'Brien can still be the main closer. 2026 has been a valuable year for him, as he has gained a lot of experience as the closer.

With a full year under his belt, he should be right back to where he was in the first half by next season, and it will be fascinating to see how he adapts to the closer's role and what adjustments he'll make in the offseason.

But with the velocity he has, it's too soon to give up on him. They just might might want to have another closer-type arm to go with him next year and take some of the pressure off.

Add us as a preferred source on Google