Why Cardinals Have Kyle Leahy on a Shorter Leash

The Cardinals are being careful with their breakout starter.

Aug 18, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Leahy (62) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. Louis Cardinals are out of contention in the National League and are very likely looking at a fourth straight year without October baseball. They haven't had a streak of four or more years out of the playoffs since they went from 1987-1995 without making it.

One of the bright spots this season has been right-hander Kyle Leahy, who is quickly turning into a very promising starting pitcher with a lot of upside. The Cardinals are being careful with him down the stretch and are limiting his innings. In his latest Cardinals chat, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explained why the Cardinals are doing this.

"Protecting Leahy by limiting his innings sends the message that you are planning for the future," Guerrero wrote. "Again, that is the reality of where the Cardinals are. They are planning for the future. Even if you have the depth of arms, you’re not going to want to let one just burn out, especially one who has shown some strides in turning into a starter in the majors. You’re not going to want to lose an arm in general. Not sure why that would be viewed as an acceptable result."

Cardinals are making right decision with Kyle Leahy

Aug 12, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Leahy (62) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ultimately, this is the correct call by the Cardinals front office and coaching staff. Leahy has never worked a full season as a starter and has spent most of his career as a reliever. This is similar to what the Chicago White Sox did with Garrett Crochet in 2024 in his first full year as a starter, and it worked out quite well for him.

The next season, Crochet was a Cy Young contender for the Boston Red Sox. That's not to say that will happen for Leahy, but it is proof that plans such as this tend to work out. Leahy has been the Cardinals' best starting pitcher this season, but since they aren't making a run to the playoffs, it makes sense to preserve his arm for 2027 and beyond, especially if they want him to be a part of their rotation long-term, which seems to be the plan.

The Cardinals haven't successfully converted a reliever to the rotation since doing so with Adam Wainwright, but if they want this to work with Leahy, they need to make sure his arm is healthy when they are finally ready to contend again, which still is likely to take a few years.