Cardinals top prospect’s debut delivers possible solution to biggest issue

In the offseason for the St. Louis Cardinals, one of the biggest focuses of John Mozeliak was filling out a near-barren rotation. It was essentially Miles Mikolas, Steven Matz and a host of young prospects who the organization didn't appear too confident in. Thus, that's why they landed the likes of Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn in free agency.

But, with Matz struggling and then hitting the IL, the Cardinals have been searching desperately to find a fifth starter. Ande Pallante and Matthew Liberatore have both struggled in the majority of their opportunities. After Saturday's game against the Reds, however, there might be another answer -- a more final one -- that's arrived without having to make a trade, at least not yet.

For Saturday's divisional matchup, the Cards called up their No. 8 prospect, right-hander Gordon Graceffo, to take a role in the bullpen and debut at the major-league level. The 24-year-old projects long-term as a starter but it seems as if St. Louis doesn't want to rush that. But his debut might change their minds.

Gordon Graceffo's debut could be answer to Cardinals' prayers

Make no mistake, Saturday's game was anything but pretty overall for St. Louis as the Reds handled them thoroughly in an eventual 9-4 loss. However, Graceffo entered the game in the fifth inning and really did a phenomenal job stopping the bleeding. He finished the game, pitching 4.1 innings in total, allowing just three hits, two walks and only one run once he took the mound.

When you look at that performance in his MLB debut -- specifically in a game in which the Reds bats were humming -- and how he the young hurler righted the ship plus see the length he was stretched to in that debut, it makes you wonder, what if Graceffo is the answer as the fifth starter in the rotation?

Overreacting to one outing in the majors would be a mistake, to be sure. Having said that, with the trade deadline in a month's time and the Cardinals in the heat of the Wild Card race, finding an in-house answer to the rotation instead of having to trade prospects could be a huge boom for St. Louis in any playoff push, especially if it opened up the possibility to make other trades.

At the very least, Graceffo's debut should earn him consideration for a spot start in the coming weeks. Based on what he showed in his first taste of big-league pitching, he looks ready to not only show some length but do so while throwing at a high level. And maybe he's the answer the Cardinals have been looking for for months and has been down in Triple-A Memphis all along.