Cardinals: 1 disappointment to demote, 1 prospect to call up down the stretch

Given their ongoing rotational issues, why not give Matthew Liberatore a shot?

Though he has not exactly torn it up for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds this season, it would serve the Cardinals to see what their top prospect Matthew Liberatore can do at the big-league level. Liberatore was a former first-round pick out of high school by the Tampa Bay Rays, coming to the Cardinals organization in the high-profile Randy Arozarena trade made during last MLB season.

While he is only 4-6 in 12 starts for the Redbirds this year with a 5.15 ERA and a 1.326 WHIP in 71.2 innings at the Triple-A level, Liberatore is the future of the Cardinals rotation alongside Jack Flaherty. If the Cardinals do fall hopelessly out of the postseason race, St. Louis would be served by seeing what he can do with the occasional spot-start or some bullpen work come September.

With the Cardinals having traded for a pair of savvy veteran left-handers in J.A. Happ and Jon Lester, these are two great pitchers for Liberatore to learn from in what will likely be a lost season for St. Louis. Again, the sooner the Cardinals can figure out what year they are playing for, the better. Any sliver of big-league experience will go a long way towards Liberatore’s development.

The Cardinals may have been buyers at the trade deadline, but their postseason outlook is grim.