It’s been a rough start to the 2025 season for the St. Louis Cardinals, who sit in fourth place in the NL Central with a record of 12-17. However, a pleasant surprise to begin the season has been starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore.
The 25-year-old left-hander appears to have solidified himself as a starting pitcher after years of bouncing back and forth between the starting rotation and bullpen. With 28 strikeouts and just two walks on the year, he currently leads all of baseball with a K/BB ratio of 14.00.
A first-round draft pick by the Rays in 2018, Liberatore was a part of the famous trade in 2020, which sent outfielder Randy Arozarena to the Rays.
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Despite developing as a starting pitcher throughout his time in the minor leagues, early struggles at the major league level caused the Cardinals to move Liberatore to the bullpen. 54 of his 60 appearances in 2024 came as a reliever.
Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew LiberatoreJeff Curry-Imagn Images
With the departures of veteran starters Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson, Liberatore found his way back into the starting rotation for 2025, and he’s been everything the Cardinals could have hoped for through his first five starts.
In 31 innings pitched this year, Liberatore leads Cardinals starting pitchers with a 3.19 ERA and a WHIP of 0.97.
While it’s still a small sample size, Liberatore is looking like he could be a staple in the Cardinals’ rotation for years to come. He is set to make his next start on Thursday against the Reds.
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