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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Sets Mets down in order for save
Rotowire
O'Brien picked up his first save of the season in Tuesday's 3-0 win over the Mets. He didn't allow a hit or a walk with no strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning.
It's notable that manager Oliver Marmol went to O'Brien for the ninth inning after the Cardinals' first two save chances of the season were given to Ryne Stanek in the opening series against the Rays. Stanek pitched the seventh inning against the Mets on Tuesday, walking one and striking out one in a scoreless frame. Stanek's save chances have been a rollercoaster, as he walked three on Opening Day and blew the save the following game, only to pick up the win later. O'Brien was effective in the role last season after Ryan Helsley was dealt at the trade deadline. The 31-year-old O'Brien turned in a 2.06 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 45:22 K:BB across 48 innings last regular season and picked up all six of his saves following Helsley's departure. The Cardinals figure to give O'Brien, Stanek and JoJo Romero save opportunities this season.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Registers first hold
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O'Brien yielded two hits in a scoreless frame to pick up his first hold of the season in Saturday's extra-inning win over the Rays.
O'Brien was first out of the bullpen for the Cardinals in the seventh inning, called upon to protect a two-run lead after Michael McGreevy spun six no-hit frames. Junior Caminero broke up the combined no-hit effort by singling on the first pitch he saw but was immediately erased with a double play. O'Brien then yielded an infield single but finished off the inning with a groundout. The 31-year-old has now registered a win and a hold in his first two appearances, but the first two save chances for the Cardinals have gone to Ryne Stanek.
Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Scoreless frame in spring debut
Rotowire
O'Brien (calf) worked around a walk and a base hit to deliver a scoreless inning of relief Saturday in the Cardinals' 3-2 loss to the Mets in Grapefruit League play.
A mild right calf strain suffered early in camp was enough to prevent O'Brien from pitching for Team South Korea in the World Baseball Classic, but after delivering a scoreless inning in his spring debut Saturday, the 31-year-old righty looks like he'll be ready to go for the start of the regular season. After the Cardinals dealt away Ryan Helsley last July, O'Brien moved into a higher-leverage role and collected four of the team's final five save chances of the 2025 campaign. With St. Louis making no major additions to its bullpen over the winter, O'Brien could head into Opening Day as the Cardinals' top option to close games, though manager Oliver Marmol may prefer to take a committee approach to the ninth inning with JoJo Romero and potentially Matt Svanson also in the mix.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Aiming for spring outing Saturday
Rotowire
O'Brien (calf) will throw another live batting practice session Thursday and hopes to make his Grapefruit League debut Saturday, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
O'Brien got through a live batting practice session Monday healthy, though he had trouble with his footing due to a wet mound. He'll face hitters in a shorter live BP session Thursday before progressing to game action. O'Brien has been battling a minor calf strain but is expected to have enough time to prep for Opening Day, barring setbacks. He is in the mix to serve as closer for the Cardinals this season.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: On track for spring debut Friday
Rotowire
O'Brien (calf) is tentatively scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut Friday against the Orioles, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The right-hander has been slowed in Cardinals camp by a mild right calf strain. O'Brien got through a live batting practice session Monday with no issues, and as long as he bounces back well, he'll get into game action Friday. The hard-throwing O'Brien is competing to open the season as St. Louis' closer.
O'Brien (calf) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
It will be the first time O'Brien has thrown from the mound since he went down with a minor right calf strain a week ago. The injury is expected to prevent the reliever from pitching for Team South Korea in the World Baseball Classic, but O'Brien should not have trouble ramping up in time for Opening Day if he can avoid setbacks.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Out for WBC with mild calf strain
Rotowire
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Friday that O'Brien will be shut down for a few days due to a mild right calf strain, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports.
It will take a couple weeks for O'Brien to ramp things back up, so it will be at least the beginning of March before he's ready to pitch in spring training games. O'Brien is also now unlikely to pitch for Team South Korea in the World Baseball Classic, though he will remain in the player pool in case there's a chance he can be added later. The injury could also affect O'Brien's chances at opening the season as the Cardinals' closer. He is in the mix for saves with JoJo Romero and perhaps Matt Svanson.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Nursing sore calf
Rotowire
O'Brien is managing calf soreness that is being evaluated Tuesday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
It's unclear exactly how O'Brien sustained the injury, but it puts his availability in question for Team South Korea for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. After recording six saves and six holds with a 2.06 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 45:22 K:BB over 48 innings last year, the 31-year-old righty is expected to be in the mix for saves to begin the year for St. Louis.
O'Brien struck out the only batter he faced to earn the save in Tuesday's 9-8 win over the Giants.
JoJo Romero faced the minimum three batters in the ninth inning, leaving with two outs and Matt Chapman on second base after a double. O'Brien came in and struck out pinch hitter Wilmer Flores on five pitches to strand the tying runner. This was O'Brien's sixth save of the year, all of which have come since Ryan Helsley was traded to the Mets. For the season, O'Brien has added six holds while maintaining a 1.96 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 43:21 K:BB through 46 innings.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Notches save No. 5
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O'Brien picked up the save in Tuesday's 3-0 win against the Reds, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
With JoJo Romero handling the eighth against the bottom of Cincy's order, O'Brien was entrusted with a three-run lead in the ninth and made quick work of the Reds' 2-3-4 hitters, needing just nine pitches to lock down his fifth save of the year. It marked the right-hander's third save in his last five appearances. The 30-year-old sports a 2.08 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 41:20 K:BB across 43.1 innings this season.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Pulled from save opportunity
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O'Brien was charged with three runs and pulled from a save chance without recording an out in Saturday's loss to the Brewers.
The Cardinals turned to O'Brien with a three-run lead in the bottom of the ninth inning, and he allowed four straight batters to reach -- the first two via hit-by-pitch -- before being lifted. Kyle Leahy then came on and allowed one of two inherited runners to score, adding another run to O'Brien's ledger. The three earned runs charged to O'Brien match the number he had allowed over his previous 29 appearances combined. He should remain in the mix for saves for St. Louis down the stretch.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Secures fourth save
Rotowire
O'Brien picked up the save in Sunday's 3-1 win at Milwaukee, allowing one walk and no hits over a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.
The 30-year-old worked around a two-out walk to collect his second save of the month. O'Brien, who fired 10 of his 16 total pitches for strikes, got the ninth after JoJo Romero pitched a scoreless frame in the eighth against the heart of the Brewers lineup. Although Romero is likely to draw the majority of save opportunities, St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol has shown no hesitation in employing O'Brien when the situation arises. The righty reliever now sports a 2.13 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 40:20 K:BB in 42.1 total innings.
O'Brien earned the save in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Giants, allowing one hit in a scoreless ninth.
With JoJo Romero being deployed in the eighth inning, the Cardinals turned to O'Brien -- who was credited with the win Saturday -- to close things out in the ninth. O'Brien gave up a single to open the inning, but he got out of the frame unscathed after getting Patrick Bailey to ground into a double play. O'Brien has not yielded a run in nine of his last 10 outings and sports a 1.60 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 39.1 innings this season.
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