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Lars Nootbaar Lars Nootbaar Blasts homer in win
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 9:12 PM
Nootbaar went 1-for-2 with a three-run home run, a walk and a second run scored in Saturday's 4-1 win over Atlanta.
Analysis: Nootbaar's first-inning blast gave the Cardinals all the offense they needed in this contest. The outfielder had gone a month between homers, batting .269 with a .687 OPS during his 24-game power drought. For the season, Nootbaar is hitting .265 with a .781 OPS, three homers, 12 RBI, 15 runs scored, one steal, six doubles and one triple over 31 contests. He is filling a strong-side platoon role in left field. |
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Riley O'Brien Riley O'Brien Converts 24th save
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 9:09 PM
O'Brien walked one, hit a batter and struck out one in a scoreless and hitless inning to earn the save in Saturday's 4-1 win over Atlanta.
Analysis: O'Brien wasn't quite at his best while pitching for the third time in four days, but he got the job done. He's on a seven-inning scoreless streak and has earned six saves with a 6:2 K:BB in that span. The All-Star reliever has converted 24 of 28 save chances this season while pitching to a 3.43 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 39:13 K:BB through 39.1 innings. O'Brien presumably won't be available if a save opportunity surfaces Sunday -- JoJo Romero or Ryne Stanek would be top options to step in for a save chance since George Soriano has also pitched consecutive days. |
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Matthew Liberatore Matthew Liberatore Throws six scoreless innings
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 9:03 PM
Liberatore (5-6) allowed four hits and a walk while striking out six over six scoreless innings to earn the win over Atlanta on Saturday.
Analysis: This was Liberatore's first quality start in over two months -- his last was May 7 versus the Padres. He has completed six frames in just four of his 19 starts on the year, as elevated walk (3.5 BB/9) and home run (1.6 HR/9) rates have limited his ability to pitch deep into games this season. He's at a 5.00 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 88:36 K:BB through 93.2 innings. |
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Drafted by St. Louis
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 5:59 PM
The Cardinals selected Kennedy with the No. 114 pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
Analysis: Kennedy made major strides during his collegiate career, as he started with a .680 OPS as a freshman at Texas in 2024 and finished with 20 homers, 22 steals and a .357/.461/.733 slash line for Kansas State in 2026. LASIK surgery helped to improve his vision, which allowed him to lock in on breaking pitches much better than before. He should be able to stick at shortstop given the lateral quickness he's showcased. |
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Lands with St. Louis in third round
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 5:13 PM
The Cardinals selected Ferraro with the No. 86 overall pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
Analysis: Ferraro is a much better fantasy prospect than a real-life one, as he's essentially a designated hitter but has a chance for a plus hit tool to go with plus raw power. He spent two years raking in junior college before transferring to Texas Tech for his junior season. This spring, he slashed .374/.481/.604 with eight home runs, a 16.7 percent walk rate and a 15.5 percent strikeout rate in 52 games for the Red Raiders. The lefty-hitting Ferraro will need to mash at every level of the minors, but if he does, he could eventually make it as a middle-of-the-order run producer. |
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Jose Fermin Jose Fermin On bench Saturday
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 4:28 PM
Fermin isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Atlanta.
Analysis: Fermin will grab a seat on the bench to begin Saturday's contest after going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts during Friday's series opener. Blaze Jordan will get the nod at third base and bat eighth. |
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Drafted by St. Louis
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 4:28 PM
The Cardinals selected Montesa with the No. 72 overall pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
Analysis: A 6-foot-1, 185-pound righty from West Virginia, Montesa lost his rotation spot late this spring after a strong start to the year. He can touch 98 mph with his fastball but has shown iffy command that could eventually push him to relief. |
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Drafted by Cardinals
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 4:14 PM
The Cardinals selected Williamson with the No. 68 overall pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
Analysis: A three-year starter in the outfield for University of Central Florida, Williamson also has a strong track record of hitting with a wood bat. He is an above-average runner who can play all three outfield spots thanks to an above-average arm. His bat speed and pop to the pull side are appealing traits, and he slashed .322/.442/.645 with 16 home runs, eight steals and a 17.7 percent strikeout rate in 55 games this spring. |
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Scooped by Cards
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 3:50 PM
The Cardinals selected Maniscalco with the No. 50 overall pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
Analysis: Maniscalco won't turn 18 until May, and is a no-doubt shortstop who is also a switch hitter. He got off to a rough start to his senior season, but but he's a great athlete with a projectable 6-foot-2, 192-pound frame and could grow into notable power. |
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Snagged by St. Louis
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 3:03 PM
The Cardinals selected Kuhns with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
Analysis: Kuhns, a high-pedigree prep prospect in 2024 who had a strong commitment to Tennessee, broke out last summer with three excellent starts in the Cape Cod League (20:1 K:BB in 13.1 IP) and upped his stock this spring with an excellent finish to his sophomore-eligible season. An athletic 6-foot-3, 190-pound righty, Kuhns is a strike thrower (4.7 BB% in 81 innings this year) with power stuff. His 94-mph fastball has good life and has touched 99 mph. With pro instruction, that pitch should sit in the 95-96 mph range. He also has excellent feel for spin, with a plus upper-70s curveball and a quality gyro slider in the low-80s. There's some refining to do with his secondaries, but Kuhns could be ready for the big leagues after about a year of minor-league development, thanks to his advanced command and deep arsenal. |
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Snagged by Cards
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 1:44 PM
The Cardinals selected Condon with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
Analysis: There's a quickness to everything Condon does, whether it be his first step out of the box, or his bat speed, and he's also one of the best pure hitters from this year's prep class. A 5-foot-11, 175-pound center fielder, Condon has an unconventional swing that has worked for him thus far. He has a strong track record of making contact and using his speed on the bases, so if he can get a bit better at pulling the ball in the air, Condon could turn into a borderline five-tool player. |
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Riley O'Brien Riley O'Brien Secures 23rd save
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 2:23 AM
O'Brien retired all three batters he faced with two strikeouts to earn the save in Friday's 2-1 win against Atlanta.
Analysis: O'Brien needed just 12 pitches to retire the side in order and convert his 10th consecutive save opportunity. That brings the right-hander up to 23 saves on the season, moving him back into a three-way tie with Mason Miller and Jhoan Duran for the National League lead. While he has not blown a save since mid-May, O'Brien surrendered six runs with a 7:7 K:BB across 10 appearances in June. He finished the month with three straight scoreless outings and has followed up with three more clean appearances to begin July. |
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Kyle Leahy Kyle Leahy Rain leads to early exit
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 2:14 AM
Leahy didn't factor into the decision Friday against Atlanta after allowing one hit over three scoreless innings. He struck out two and did not issue a walk.
Analysis: Leahy was hardly dominant as he tallied just one swinging strike on 44 pitches, but he kept Atlanta off the board by inducing five groundouts before a long rain delay ended his evening. The 30-year-old saw his two-start win streak come to an end Friday thanks to the rain, but he continued his strong run of form with just one run allowed in his past four starts. Leahy will head into the All-Star break with a 3.73 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 75:33 K:BB through 89.1 innings -- already the largest workload of his big-league career after he operated as a reliever the past few years. |
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Nathan Church Nathan Church Not starting versus Sale
Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 3:24 PM
Church is absent from the lineup for Friday's tilt versus Atlanta.
Analysis: With lefty Chris Sale toeing the slab, the left-handed-hitting Church will begin the festivities on the bench. Jose Fermin will patrol center field and bat seventh for the Cardinals. |
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Lars Nootbaar Lars Nootbaar Taking seat versus Sale
Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 3:23 PM
Nootbaar is not in the lineup for Friday's game against Atlanta.
Analysis: Lefty ace Chris Sale is on the bump for Atlanta, so the Cardinals are loading up their lineup with righty bats. The right-handed-hitting Nelson Velazquez will cover left field while the lefty-swinging Noobaar sits. |
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JJ Wetherholt JJ Wetherholt Signs long-term contract extension
Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 2:15 PM
The Cardinals are in agreement with Wetherholt on a long-term contract extension, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the deal is worth eight years and $112.5 million and could max out at $132 million if all escalators are reached. Wetherholt is the likely National League Rookie of the Year front-runner, sporting a .267/.362/.411 batting line with 13 home runs, nine stolen bases and a 38:61 BB:K over 87 contests. The 23-year-old is also leading all second basemen in outs above average at plus-16. |
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Beginning rehab assignment
Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 11:29 AM
Henderson (elbow) has been cleared to begin a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.
Analysis: Henderson has been sidelined all season after coming into spring training with a flexor strain. He's progressed enough in his rehab to test things out in games and should eventually join the rotation at Triple-A Memphis once he's deemed ready. Henderson has excelled in his two seasons in the minors, most recently holding a 2.59 ERA and 134:51 K:BB over 132 innings covering 25 starts with Double-A Springfield in 2025. |
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Surging at Triple-A
Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 10:23 AM
Mathews continued a terrific stretch at Triple-A Memphis with seven strikeouts over seven shutout innings in Thursday's start versus Gwinnett.
Analysis: Mathews had an up-and-down first two months of the season but has been on a roll since the start of June, posting a 1.83 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 45:15 K:BB over 39.1 frames covering seven starts. His 10.3 percent walk rate during that span remains a tad high, but it's greatly improved from the 18.2 percent mark he had in his first 10 outings. Mathews is not on the Cardinals' 40-man roster, but he looks ready for a chance at the big-league level sooner rather than later. |
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Jimmy Crooks Jimmy Crooks Sitting against righty
Thu, Jul 9, 2026, 2:14 PM
Crooks is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest versus the Brewers.
Analysis: Crooks has now been in the lineup just once over the Cardinals' last eight games. Part of that has been the schedule, as they've faced five lefties over that span and the lefty-swinging Crooks doesn't play against southpaws. Additionally, Ivan Herrera typically catches for Michael McGreevy and Andre Pallante, who is starting Thursday. The situation makes for a frustrating playing-time crunch for Crooks. |
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Jose Fermin Jose Fermin Settling in to regular role
Thu, Jul 9, 2026, 2:06 PM
Fermin will start at third base and bat eighth in Thursday's game against the Brewers.
Analysis: It's the eighth consecutive start for Fermin, who is 8-for-26 with one home run and three doubles over that stretch. The start is also Fermin's fourth straight at third base versus a right-hander, as he seems to have inched past Blaze Jordan as the Cardinals' preferred option at the hot corner. |
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