A baseball player from Maine is that much closer to making his major league debut.Matt Pushard, a right-handed pitcher, has made the opening day roster for the St. Louis Cardinals, according to the University of Maine baseball program.The Cardinals have yet to officially announce their opening day roster, but the lead baseball writer and Cardinals beat writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch both indicated Pushard made the cut for the Cardinals bullpen when the team decided to option another pitcher to Triple-A.Pushard, 28, graduated from Brewer High School in 2016 and pitched five seasons for the UMaine Black Bears. He signed with the Miami Marlins as an undrafted free agent in July 2022 and was part of that organization for three and a half seasons.He pitched in four spring training games for the Marlins in 2025, but he spent the entire season with Miami’s Triple-A affiliate, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, who won the Triple-A championship.In December 2025, the Cardinals selected Pushard in the Rule 5 Draft. He has pitched in eight spring training games with St. Louis entering Monday, posting a 3.12 earned run average in 8 2/3 innings pitched with nine strikeouts and one save.Pushard has posted a 10-12 record, 3.21 ERA and 199 strikeouts in 174 innings pitched across 134 minor league games.The Cardinals open their season at home on March 26 against the Tampa Bay Rays. After an off-day, St. Louis will host Tampa Bay for two more games (March 28-29) before welcoming the New York Mets for a three-game series (March 30-April 1).After a six-game road trip to Detroit (April 3-5) and Washington (April 6-8), the Cardinals return to St. Louis to host the Boston Red Sox for a three-game series (April 10-12).

BREWER, Maine —

A baseball player from Maine is that much closer to making his major league debut.

Matt Pushard, a right-handed pitcher, has made the opening day roster for the St. Louis Cardinals, according to the University of Maine baseball program.

The Cardinals have yet to officially announce their opening day roster, but the lead baseball writer and Cardinals beat writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch both indicated Pushard made the cut for the Cardinals bullpen when the team decided to option another pitcher to Triple-A.

Pushard, 28, graduated from Brewer High School in 2016 and pitched five seasons for the UMaine Black Bears. He signed with the Miami Marlins as an undrafted free agent in July 2022 and was part of that organization for three and a half seasons.

He pitched in four spring training games for the Marlins in 2025, but he spent the entire season with Miami’s Triple-A affiliate, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, who won the Triple-A championship.

In December 2025, the Cardinals selected Pushard in the Rule 5 Draft. He has pitched in eight spring training games with St. Louis entering Monday, posting a 3.12 earned run average in 8 2/3 innings pitched with nine strikeouts and one save.

Pushard has posted a 10-12 record, 3.21 ERA and 199 strikeouts in 174 innings pitched across 134 minor league games.

The Cardinals open their season at home on March 26 against the Tampa Bay Rays. After an off-day, St. Louis will host Tampa Bay for two more games (March 28-29) before welcoming the New York Mets for a three-game series (March 30-April 1).

After a six-game road trip to Detroit (April 3-5) and Washington (April 6-8), the Cardinals return to St. Louis to host the Boston Red Sox for a three-game series (April 10-12).