The St. Louis Cardinals certainly need to address the club's starting rotation.
St. Louis entered the 2023 season with high expectations after winning 93 games last season but has struggled to open the young season. The Cardinals are 10-23 so far this season and have the worst record in the National League. One of the biggest reasons for the club's struggles has been their starting pitching. Through 33 games, just one starter has an ERA under 5.00.
Rumors have swirled about moves the club could make to acquire an external candidate, but one easier move could be calling up elite pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore. The Cardinals' No. 5 prospect has been tearing it up at the Triple-A level so far this season and has compiled a 3-1 record to go along with a 2.14 ERA in 33 2/3 innings pitched.
Liberatore has been so impressive for the Memphis Redbirds that he not only was named Cardinals' Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April but also the MiLB International League Pitcher of the Month after a dominating month.
The 23-year-old was taken in the first round of the 2018 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays but was traded to the Cardinals in 2020 in a deal surrounded around rising star outfielder Randy Arozarena. He made his debut in the Cardinals organization in 2021 with the Redbirds and impressed in 22 appearances while compiling a 4.04 ERA.
Liberatore made his big league debut with the Cardinals in 2022 and struggled in a small sample size. The big lefty compiled a 5.97 ERA in nine to go along with 28 strikeouts and 18 walks.
At this point, the Cardinals could use a shakeup in the starting rotation and Liberatore could be an exciting addition. There's plenty of time left in the season for the Cardinals to make a comeback, but they'll have to do so sooner rather than later. Liberatore could bring a jolt of excitement to the club while also giving the team another lefty.
Anything could help at this point, why not give the kid a shot?
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