Liberatore (3-5) walked one and struck out three over 1.1 scoreless and hitless innings to earn the win Friday over the Reds.
Liberatore was deemed the most effective reliever and awarded the win after starter Drew Rom went just 3.2 innings. This was Liberatore's second outing since returning from a back injury, and he's struck out four without giving up a hit over 2.2 innings. The southpaw is expected to fill a multi-inning role out of the bullpen for the rest of the year. He has a 5.81 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 39:22 K:BB through 52.2 innings over 14 appearances (11 starts) this season.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Returns from IL
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Liberatore (back) was activated from the 15-day injured list Monday.
Liberatore didn't pitch well in two rehab starts with Triple-A Memphis, allowing six runs while walking 10 over 6.2 innings. He brought his pitch count up to 83 in his last outing Sunday, and the Cardinals have decided he's ready to join the big club, despite his poor results in the minors. St. Louis presumably wants to stick Liberatore back in its rotation, though it's unclear when he might make his next start.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Set for bullpen role
Rotowire
Liberatore (back) will pitch out of the bullpen for the Cardinals after he was reinstated from the 15-day injured list Monday, Jim Hayes of Bally Sports Midwest reports.
Liberatore will be available in relief beginning with Wednesday's game at Atlanta. The 23-year-old left-hander has struggled to a 6.12 ERA, 1.64 WHIP and 35:21 K:BB in 50 innings (11 starts, one relief appearance) this season at the major-league level and surrendered seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and 10 walks over 6.2 innings between his most recent two rehab starts at Triple-A Memphis. With Liberatore moving to the bullpen, Drew Rom will retain a spot in the St. Louis rotation as the team's fifth starter.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Another inefficient rehab start
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Liberatore (back) struck out six while allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and five walks over three innings in his rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Memphis.
Though the young southpaw was able to build up to 90 pitches Sunday, he threw just 50 strikes and issued five free passes for the second rehab outing in a row. Liberatore looks to be fully stretched out again after landing on the 15-day injured list Aug. 22 with lower-back tightness, but his ongoing struggles in finding the strike zone could prompt the Cardinals to send him back out for another rehab start during the upcoming week rather than activating him.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Getting another rehab start
Rotowire
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Friday that Liberatore is scheduled to make at least one more rehab start at Triple-A Memphis prior to being activated from the 15-day injured list, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Though Liberatore tossed 78 pitches in his first rehab start with Memphis on Tuesday, he wasn't particularly sharp. He spotted only 45 of his pitches for strikes, recording five punchouts while allowing five runs on four hits and five walks over 3.2 innings. Liberatore will presumably make his next turn for Memphis on Sunday, and if he shows more efficiency in that outing, he could return from the IL for the Cardinals' series next weekend in Cincinnati.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Tosses 78 pitches in rehab start
Rotowire
Liberatore (back) covered 3.2 innings and gave up five earned runs on four hits and five walks while striking out five in his rehab start Tuesday with Triple-A Memphis.
Though he didn't escape the fourth inning Tuesday, Liberatore still tossed 78 pitches (45 strikes) while taking the hill for the first time since landing on the 15-day injured list Aug. 22 with lower-back tightness. From a workload standpoint, Liberatore appears ready to re-enter the big-league rotation, but the Cardinals may want to see a more efficient outing in the minors from the young lefty before activating him.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Ready for rehab assignment
Rotowire
Liberatore (back) will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Memphis, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Liberatore landed on the injured list last Tuesday, and he will get back up on the bump one week later. He has not appeared in a game since Aug. 16, so he could be back with the big club at some point in early September.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Lands on IL with tight back
Rotowire
St. Louis placed Liberatore on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with lower-back tightness, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Liberatore was scheduled to return to the Cardinals rotation Wednesday in Pittsburgh, but the back issue that arose in his previous start Aug. 16 didn't fully respond to a period of extra rest. The young left-hander has struggled to a 6.12 ERA, 1.64 WHIP and 35:21 K:BB across 50 major-league innings this season.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Next start moved to Wednesday
Rotowire
Liberatore will make his next start Wednesday in Pittsburgh while he gets extra time to heal up from back pain, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Liberatore had been lined up to take the hill for Monday's series opener at PNC Park, but the Cardinals will instead call up Drew Rom from Triple-A Memphis to start that day to afford the lefty some extra time to rest up and recover. According to Denton, Liberatore's back issue stems from a weightlifting session rather than from his most recent start last Wednesday, when he gave up six runs (five earned) over 4.1 innings in a loss to Oakland. Before falling flat against the last-place Athletics, Liberatore turned in the best start of his career Aug. 10, blanking the Rays over eight innings while striking out seven.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Ambushed by A's
Rotowire
Liberatore (2-5) took the loss Wednesday, surrendering six runs (five earned) on 10 hits and three walks over 4.1 innings as the Cardinals fell 8-0 to the A's. He struck out five.
The rookie southpaw got little help from his teammates, but Liberatore did himself no favors as he got only 55 of 92 pitches into the strike zone, and his lack of command or control led to a four-run first inning for Oakland. He's had one good start and two poor ones since rejoining the big-league rotation after the trade deadline, and he's likely to remain a volatile fantasy option the rest of the season. Liberatore will carry a 6.12 ERA, 1.64 WHIP and 35:21 K:BB through 50 innings into his next outing, which is likely to come early next week in Pittsburgh.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Sparkles against Rays
Rotowire
Liberatore (2-4) earned the win over Tampa Bay on Thursday, pitching eight scoreless innings during which he allowed two hits and struck out seven batters.
Liberatore had a 6.93 ERA coming into the contest, but he stifled the Rays' offense in the best start of his big-league career. The southpaw completed eight innings for the first time as a major-leaguer and allowed just two hits, both of which were singles. Liberatore has struggled thus far to get batters out at the highest level, so it remains to be seen if Thursday's gem will be a turning point. He's lined up for a prime matchup at home against Oakland in his next start.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Drawing another start
Rotowire
Liberatore is scheduled to start Thursday's game against the Rays in Tampa Bay.
Liberatore will get a second straight turn through the St. Louis rotation, facing off against the organization that drafted him with a first-round selection in 2018 before dealing him to the Cardinals in 2020. In his return from Triple-A Memphis this past weekend, Liberatore worked 5.2 innings in a losing effort against the Twins, giving up five runs on six hits and two walks while striking out one. With a 6.93 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and 8.5 K-BB% over 37.2 innings in the majors this season, Liberatore likely warrants attention just in NL-only leagues at this time.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Struggles in return to rotation
Rotowire
Liberatore (1-4) took the loss Thursday, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks over 5.2 innings against the Twins. He struck out one.
Most of the damage against Liberatore came in the second inning when the Twins tagged him for four runs on a pair of homers. The 23-year-old left-hander's ERA is now up to 6.93 with a 1.78 WHIP and 23:18 K:BB across nine starts (37.2 innings) this season. Liberatore still offers some upside and figures to remain in the Cardinals' rotation following the trades of Jack Flaherty and Jordan Montgomery. However, he's too risky to even be a streaming option in most fantasy formats.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Joining rotation Thursday
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Liberatore is scheduled to start Thursday's game against the Twins, Joey Schneider of Fox 2 St. Louis reports.
Liberatore is one of two new additions to the St. Louis rotation this week, as Dakota Hudson will also be picking up a start Wednesday as the Cardinals replace the outgoing Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty, who were moved ahead of the trade deadline. After getting out to a hot start over the first month of the season at Triple-A Memphis, Liberatore has struggled to maintain that form while bouncing between the big leagues and minors since the beginning of May. He's been particularly unimpressive over his nine outings (eight starts) with St. Louis, accruing a 6.75 ERA, 1.84 WHIP and 3.8 K-BB% in 32 innings. Liberatore will still be worth holding in NL-only leagues since he'll have a fairly clear path to a starting role the rest of the way, but he'll need to show improved results before becoming a trusted lineup option in most mixed leagues.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Back in St. Louis
Rotowire
The Cardinals recalled Liberatore from Triple-A Memphis on Friday.
Liberatore holds a 6.75 ERA and 1.84 WHIP through 32 innings in the majors this season, and his stats for Memphis since being optioned July 6 haven't been much better. It's unclear whether Liberatore will work out of the bullpen or join the Cardinals' rotation, but the team seems poised to move veterans like Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty by the trade deadline, so there could be a starting role available for the 23-year-old lefty. Andrew Suarez was optioned to Memphis in a corresponding move.
Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Optioned to Memphis
Rotowire
St. Louis optioned Liberatore to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday.
Liberatore recorded only one out in his last start Wednesday against the Marlins, ultimately being charged with four earned runs on five hits and one walk. The young left-hander heads back to the farm with an overall 6.75 ERA and 1.84 WHIP in 32 major-league frames for the year.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Gets lit up in first inning
Rotowire
Liberatore didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 10-9 loss to the Marlins after allowing four runs on five hits and one walk while recording just one out.
Liberatore was shelled by the Marlins right from the opening pitch, surrendering four consecutive hits and a walk to kick off the bottom of the first inning before finally getting Jean Segura to fly out to left for the first out. The lefty then gave up another single to Dane Myers to make it a four-run inning for the Marlins before he was pulled in favor of Dakota Hudson. The 21-pitch outing was a disastrous one for Liberatore, who had been starting on three days' rest after previously covering 4.1 innings in a doubleheader last Saturday versus the Yankees. Considering that the Cardinals have an opening in the rotation this Sunday versus the White Sox following Adam Wainwright's (shoulder) recent move to the injured list, Liberatore could be a candidate to start again on three days' rest in St. Louis' final game before the All-Star break.
