MLB Writer Questions Hard-Throwing Pitcher's Future With Cardinals

Ryan Fernandez might not be a member of the Cardinals for long.

Apr 9, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryan Fernandez (64) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have gotten off to a much better start than anybody expected, and it's largely to do with their pitching staff. While we've seen a bit of a bumpy road with closer Ryan Helsley, a large majority of the staff has been quite dominant this season.

One guy who's struggled has been the hard-throwing righty, Ryan Fernandez. He's gotten off to a bad start in the big leagues, but he's also not throwing well since being demoted to Triple-A.

Thomas Gauvain of Redbird Rants recently suggested Fernandez's future with the Cardinals could be in question following his horrific start to the season.

"Fernandez got off to a rough start this year, and he was demoted due to his poor showing so far. Fernandez walked a quarter of the batters he faced in the majors, and his 11.42 ERA through only 8.2 innings was awful," Gauvain wrote. "To make matters worse, Fernandez isn't pitching much better in the minors. He has a 10.13 ERA through only 5.1 innings in Memphis. Ryan Fernandez isn't doing much to bolster his case and lock in a role for the future."

On the year, Fernandez has lacked command and gotten hit around when he's been in the zone. His struggles don't seem to be the result of one flaw. Instead, there are multiple issues culminating into one horrific start.

At this point, his future with the team is in question. It's hard to imagine the Cardinals ever calling up a reliever who can't get his minor league ERA under 10.00.

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