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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Fans nine in no-decision
Rotowire
Liberatore allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out nine batters over 4.2 innings in a no-decision against Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
Liberatore began the game well, opening with four scoreless frames. However, he lost steam in the fifth, giving up four runs on four hits and two walks before being pulled. While that soured Liberatore's outing significantly, a positive takeaway is that he racked up 13 whiffs and a season-high nine punchouts after previously not striking out more than six batters in any appearance. Liberatore will carry a mediocre 4.70 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 43:20 K:BB across 51.2 innings into his next start, which is lined up to be a road matchup against Cincinnati.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Done in by grand slam
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Liberatore (2-2) allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out five over five innings to take the loss Wednesday versus the Athletics.
Liberatore got through four innings just fine despite putting some traffic on the bases. Nick Kurtz was able to cash in for the Athletics in the fifth with a grand slam, and that was the decisive hit in the game, sending Liberatore to his first loss since April 13 versus the Guardians. Very few of Liberatore's starts have been in the middle of the road -- he's allowed two runs or fewer five times, but he's given up four or more runs in his other four outings. He's at a 4.40 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 34:18 K:BB through 47 innings this season. The southpaw is projected to make his next start at home versus the Pirates, but his fantasy appeal is fairly low due to his poor strikeout (6.5 K/9) and walk (3.5 BB/9) rates.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Quality start in second win
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Liberatore (2-1) allowed one run on three hits and three walks while striking out six over six innings to earn the win over the Padres on Thursday.
Liberatore was a little less commanding than Michael King, but the former came away with the win when the Cardinals got a go-ahead RBI triple from Masyn Winn in the top of the seventh inning. This was Liberatore's third quality start of the season, and he's won both of his outings in May while allowing just three runs over 11.2 innings. The southpaw has trimmed his ERA to 4.07 with a 1.43 WHIP and 29:16 K:BB through 42 innings over eight appearances this season. Liberatore's next start is projected to be on the road versus the Athletics.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Sniffs quality start
Rotowire
Liberatore (1-1) earned the win Friday against the Dodgers, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks across 5.2 innings, striking out four.
Liberatore bounced back after giving up five runs and three homers in a no-decision against the Mariners in his last start. This time, he was facing one of the best offenses in the majors, but he did a good job of keeping the ball in the park while ending just one out shy of recording what would've been his third quality start of the campaign. Liberatore isn't a pitcher that's going to overpower hitters, as he's fanned more than four just once in his seven starts, and his 23:13 K:BB across 36 innings doesn't really stand out, but he's a decent innings eater. He'll take a 4.50 ERA and 1.50 WHIP into his next start, which is scheduled for next week at home against the Brewers.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Can't keep ball in yard Saturday
Rotowire
Liberatore came away with a no-decision in Saturday's 11-9 loss to the Mariners, coughing up five runs on eight hits -- including three home runs -- and a walk over 3.1 innings. He struck out three.
The two teams combined for eight homers on the afternoon, with Liberatore doing his part to fuel the offensive eruption before getting the hook after 64 pitches (47 strikes). It was the first time this season the southpaw has failed to last at least five innings in a start, but he's served up eight long balls in total over just 30.1 innings, leaving him with a 4.75 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 19:11 K:BB. Liberatore will look for his first win of 2026 in his next outing, which lines up to come at home next weekend against the Dodgers.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Posts quality start in no-decision
Rotowire
Liberatore did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 7-5 extra-inning win over the Astros, allowing one run on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts over four innings.
Liberatore allowed a run in the third inning but was otherwise strong, needing just 82 pitches to complete his second quality start of the season. Through five outings, the southpaw has yielded one earned run three times and four earned runs twice. He'll carry a 3.67 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 16:10 K:BB across 27 innings into a home matchup against the Mariners next weekend.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Inefficient in first loss
Rotowire
Liberatore (0-1) allowed four runs on six hits and three walks while striking out two batters over five innings in a loss to Cleveland on Monday.
Liberatore gave up a solo homer to the second batter he faced in the game and surrendered three more runs in the fourth inning. He needed 105 pitches, only 61 of which were strikes, to get through five frames. Liberatore also continued to struggle to put batters away, as he's now notched exactly two strikeouts in three of his four starts this season. The southpaw gave up just one run in each of his first two outings but has given up exactly four runs in each of his past two starts. On the season, he has a 4.29 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 12:8 K:BB through 21 innings.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Escapes with no-decision Tuesday
Rotowire
Liberatore didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's 7-6 extra-inning win over the Nationals, giving up four runs on nine hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out six.
The southpaw was tagged for homers by James Wood in the third inning and Curtis Mead in the fifth and exited the game with the Cardinals in a 4-2 hole, but the offense bailed him out late. Liberatore tossed 59 of 92 pitches for strikes and has lasted at least five innings in all three of his starts to begin the year, posting a 3.38 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 10:5 K:BB over 16 frames. He'll look for his first win of 2026 in his next trip to the mound, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Guardians.
Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Logs quality start Wednesday
Rotowire
Liberatore did not factor into the decision Wednesday against the Mets, allowing a run on three hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out two.
Liberatore was impressive Wednesday, holding the Mets without a hit until the fifth inning before eventually giving up a lone run on a Juan Soto homer with two outs in the sixth for his first quality start of 2026. Through two starts, the 26-year-old Liberatore has given up just two runs on 10 hits and three walks while striking out four over 11 innings. The left-hander is tentatively in line for a road matchup with the Nationals his next time out.
Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Holds Rays in check in season debut
Rotowire
Liberatore didn't factor into the decision Thursday against the Rays, allowing one run on seven hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out two.
Despite giving up seven hits, the left-hander was able to limit the damage to just one run in his season debut. Liberatore topped out at 65 pitches during spring training, which he reached in his third Grapefruit League start, so he'll be looking to raise his pitch count even further his next time out after firing 78 pitches Thursday. Liberatore has a tough matchup at home against the Mets on tap for his second start of the year.
Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Named Opening Day starter
Rotowire
The Cardinals announced Wednesday that Liberatore will start the team's March 26 season opener against the Rays in St. Louis.
It will be Liberatore's first career Opening Day nod, and it comes against the team that selected him 16th overall in the 2018 Draft. After working mainly as reliever in 2024, Liberatore started all 29 games in which he appeared last regular season, posting an 8-12 record, 4.21 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 122:40 K:BB across 151.2 innings. He's been stellar this spring, with a 2.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 14:1 K:BB across 10 innings.
Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Dazzles in Grapefruit League outing
Rotowire
Liberatore permitted two runs while striking out seven across five frames in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles.
In addition to his seven punchouts, Liberatore did not issue a walk and picked up 16 swinging strikes on 65 pitches. It's the most whiffs for any pitcher in a single appearance so far this spring and is just one off Liberatore's regular-season high of 17. The left-hander has had an impressive showing this spring with a 2.70 ERA and 14:1 K:BB over 10 innings. Liberatore is expected to draw the Opening Day start for the Cardinals, though that has not yet been made official.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Strong start this spring
Rotowire
Liberatore struck out three over three innings of one-run ball in Thursday's Grapefruit League outing against the Astros.
The Astros had a split-squad lineup that didn't feature any regulars, so Liberatore's results should be taken with a grain of salt. He pitched well, though, picking up 10 swinging strikes on 51 pitches, which included one whiff on his new splitter. Liberatore has yielded just one run with a 7:1 K:BB in his first five innings this spring. The left-hander is lined up to take the ball Opening Day for the Cardinals versus the Rays.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Settles with Cardinals
Rotowire
The Cardinals and Liberatore avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.26 million contract Thursday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Liberatore was eligible for salary arbitration for the first time as a Super 2 qualifier. The left-hander had a solid first full season in the Cardinals' rotation, finishing 2025 with a 4.21 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 122:40 K:BB in 151.2 innings over 29 starts. Liberatore will be counted on as a key member of the St. Louis rotation again in 2026.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Will not make another start
Rotowire
Liberatore is no longer scheduled to start during this weekend's series against the Cubs, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Liberatore has logged 151.2 innings in 2025, 65.2 more than he threw in 2024, so the Cardinals will shut the lefty down now that they're officially eliminated from playoff contention. The 25-year-old slowed considerably after an excellent first two months of the season, but he had a strong September and will finish with a 4.21 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 122:40 K:BB over 29 starts in his first full season as a big-league starter. Liberatore is locked into a rotation spot in 2026 in what is looking like another rebuilding year in St. Louis.
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