ATLANTA — Caught between a Cardinals rotation that is finding its rhythm and a bullpen struggling not to lose its way is a veteran who has pitched as well as anyone and yet isn’t assured of either role.
In his past two appearances, Steven Matz earned a win as a starter and a win in relief, and his next outing will be — well, maybe out of the bullpen or maybe a start. It all depends on others. Matz pitched a pivotal 2 2/3 scoreless innings Tuesday night to give the Cardinals a chance to rally and win the only game they did on the seven-game road trip. Through six relief appearances and the one start, the Cardinals swingman has a 1.86 ERA in 19 1/3 innings.
At some point, is he pitching too well not to be one of the five starters instead of the occasional sixth?
“That is an option,†manager Oliver Marmol said. “It should be on the table.â€
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Matz will be available in relief during the upcoming weekend series against Milwaukee, and depending on the need — or want — to use him in those games, he’ll be scheduled for his next start in Cincinnati. The timing of that start is all about getting the five members of the rotation an added day of rest, though as May approaches, Matz’s performance and not other pitchers’ needs will start shaping his assignments.
He’s pitched well enough in relief to appear in higher-leverage spots and he’s pitched well enough since spring to command starts, and yet the Cardinals’ current roster asks him to do neither consistently but both regularly.
“He’s a starter who is not starting at the moment,†Marmol explained. “This is why it’s tough. And based on who is in the rotation, it still allows him to be stretched out in case of an injury based on the way we’ve used him. In a perfect world, he would be in the rotation. He’s earned the right to be in the rotation. How we’re structure at the moment makes it a little tougher to do that.â€
The Cardinals see Matz’s versatility as essential to maintaining the health of the pitching staff at a time when the depth is thin, pitchers are vulnerable to injuries and options at Class AAA Memphis are limited.
That is why when starters struggle, he remains in relief.
That is why when the bullpen convulses, he stays ready to start.
“It’s been a figure-it-out-as-I-go-this-year type of thing,†Matz said. “Being in the bullpen has really kept me engaged in the game more. When you’re starting you can take those first couple of days and check out, just work on your body. When you’re out in the bullpen, you’re focusing on the hitters and when you can get in. I think that’s helped my mindset, honestly.â€
Matz (2-0) struck out five in five strong innings of his start against Houston. Six days later, an abbreviated start by Andre Pallante, thrust Matz into a long-relief role Tuesday. He struck out as many opponents (two) as he allowed base runners (two), and his middle-inning work allowed the Cardinals to rally from a 4-2 deficit to win, 10-4.
Matz “is the game right there,†Marmol said.
“For him, he’s used to starting, so that’s always more comfortable,†pitching coach Dusty Blake said. “He has been very clear that he loves this locker room, loves this team and is going to do what he can, whatever you guys think gives us the best chance to win. He’s been great.â€
Matz, 33, is in the final year of a four-year, $44 million contract he signed with the Cardinals to be a starter. Injuries interrupted every one of his seasons and jostled him from role to role. Since 2022, he’s started 35 games for the Cardinals and relieved in 24. In the next week, he’s likely to do both, just as he did this past week. While the Cardinals look to give young pitchers opportunities to perform well and heighten their roles — as Kyle Leahy’s done in the bullpen or Matthew Liberatore in the rotation — Matz’s has helped make that possible with the innings he’s covering. That will eventually give him the chance to do the same.
As a pending free agent and potential trade target for a few teams, if Matz continues to pitch well enough to start and it’s not with the Cardinals, it will be somewhere else.
“My mindset is the same. Different adrenaline (in relief),†Matz said late Tuesday night. “It’s a great feeling, I think, just being an asset to the team. That is my goal this year. Whenever they call on me to do it to my best ability.â€
Nootbaar walks into MLB record tie
With a leadoff walk to begin Wednesday’s game, Cardinals’ No. 1 hitter Lars Nootbaar tied an esoteric Major League Baseball record set 50 years ago, long before “Moneyball†recalculated the game’s view of how valuable such a record actually is to a club.
The first-inning walk Wednesday was Nootbaar’s eighth to lead off the game in the Cardinals’ first 25 this season.
He has six games remaining to set the record set in 1975 by Davey Lopes.
Nootbaar’s 20 walks so far this season rank fifth in the majors, and he’s one of only three position players with 20 or more. Designated hitters dot the leaders, with Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna leading the majors with 24, five of which he received from the Cardinals this week.
Donovan, etc.
Brendan Donovan sprinted and went through a series of workouts Wednesday morning to determine his availability after having a rib slip out of place between Monday’s and Tuesday’s games. Donovan had the rib reset and said he was feeling more comfortable Wednesday morning.
The Cardinals expect him to return to the lineup Friday when they open a brief homestand against Milwaukee.
- Upon returning to Busch Stadium on Friday, the Cardinals will evaluate Ivan Herrera’s recovery from a bone bruise and his timetable for a rehab assignment. Herrera has been running, catching off the pitching machine and batting without any setbacks while the team was away from home.
