The St. Louis Cardinals are looking ahead to the future.
There was a time earlier in the season in which the Cardinals looked like a club that could contend for a playoff spot. Now, it seems more likely that the Cardinals will miss out on a spot. St. Louis is 11 games out of first place in the National League Central and is 6 1/2 games out of a National League Wild Card spot. There's plenty of time left this season, but things haven't gone the club's way. Plus, the Cardinals just traded Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, and Phil Maton.
There are still 51 games left to go this season and there's going to be a lot to watch out for. Even if the Cardinals don't make the playoffs, these games will have to be played and should be used to look ahead. One way to do so would be in the starting rotation. The Cardinals recently made a move by cutting ties with Erick Fedde to make room for Michael McGreevy in the rotation. On top of this, though, the Cardinals should make another move.
No. 2 prospect Quinn Mathews is with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds right now, just one step away from the big leagues. MLB.com currently is projecting Matthews to make his big league debut in 2025. He's just 24 years old. A few starts down the stretch, or at least some bullpen outings would be nice. Last year, McGreevy made four appearances with the big league club. Getting Matthews up down the stretch only would help for the 2026 season.
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