One young St. Louis Cardinals hurler is getting an early look in the big league club’s bullpen.
St. Louis announced on Tuesday that Matt Pushard is heading to the 15-day Injured List due to right knee patellar tendinitis. In response, the Cardinals are promoting young righty Gordon Graceffo in his place.
“RHP Gordon Graceffo has been recalled from Memphis (AAA),” the Cardinals announced. “RHP Matt Pushard has been placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to March 30 (right knee patellar tendinitis).”
RHP Gordon Graceffo has been recalled from Memphis (AAA).
RHP Matt Pushard has been placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to March 30 (right knee patellar tendinitis). pic.twitter.com/0RnVd1nVqi
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) March 31, 2026The Cardinals placed the hurler on the IL
Mar 29, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Matt Pushard (67) pitches in his major league debut in the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Graceffo made 26 appearances for the Cardinals in 2025 and had a 6.28 ERA in 43 innings of work. Those numbers aren’t great, but he was in the 73rd percentile in fastball velocity over the course of the season. His fastball is his calling card. He has 28 total big league appearances under his belt — including two in 2024 — and now will have an opportunity to show what he can do in the majors for at least the next few weeks. He made three appearances with the club in Spring Training and looked good. He didn’t allow a run and struck out two batters in three innings pitched. But he didn’t make the club out of camp.
The upside is there, though. In 2025, he made 24 appearances for Triple-A Memphis and logged a 3.77 ERA across 45 1/3 innings of work. Overall, he has appeared in 110 games down in the minors and has a 3.93 ERA to show for it.
It’s unfortunate that the Cardinals will be without the services of Pushard for the foreseeable future, but having Graceffo ready to go down in Triple-A is great. He has a legit big league arm and already has experience pitching in the majors so in reality, there really shouldn’t be much of a change for St. Louis at this time. Pushard has appeared in one game so far this season and allowed three earned runs in one inning in his big league debut.
He impressed in Spring Training while logging a 3.12 ERA in eight appearances. St. Louis selected Pushard from the Miami Marlins in the Major League phase of the 2025 Rule 5 Draft. He was the seventh player taken overall in the big league phase of the draft of 13 total picks. Because he was taken in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft, he has to stay on the Cardinals’ active big league roster throughout the season, aside from being placed on the Injured List.