With Cardinals at 6-8 in Kyle Leahy's Starts, is it Time to Move Him Back to Bullpen?
Kyle Leahy successfully navigated a lineup a third time on Wednesday, but the Cardinals fell to 6-8 in his 14 starts when the Padres beat them 6-1 at Busch Stadium. Leahy, who dropped to 5-4 with a 4.63 ERA, might be better served as a long reliever as the season progresses.
Video Transcript
St. Louis Cardinals missed out on a chance to close out the Padres and sweep them on Wednesday, losing six to one.
It was the third time this season that the Cardinals had a chance to move 10 games over 500, but they failed once again.
Then again, who thought we would even be considering the Cardinals being 10 games over 500 in what was supposed to be a rebuilding season?
I'm John Denton with Roundtable Sports.
Cowley, he was good on Wednesday, but not good enough.
He did navigate the lineup a third time.
He struck out seven batters.
But at the end of the day, he gave up seven hits, gave up three earned runs.
At this point, the Cardinals have to be asking themselves, are they better served with Leahy in the starting staff or in the bullpen?
Personally, I think he's better in the bullpen.
That's where he found the best success of his career last season as that middle reliever, that bridge guy that can get the ball to Romero and O'Brien at the end of the game.
You know, I think, you know, the Cardinals have been really good.
They've been very proactive at addressing their struggles at third base, at center field, at catching.
They brought up Jimmy Crooks to be the everyday catcher.
They brought up Blaze Jordan to play third base.
He played really well defensively on Wednesday.
And Nathan Church, who, you know, misplayed a ball in the wind on Wednesday, he's been solid in center field.
It's helped the bottom of the line get a lot better.
Will the Cardinals be proactive now with their number five starter?
That's clearly where Kyle Leahy lands on this list.
I mean, if you look, Quinn Matthews has been really good of late.
That's that guy that we thought was coming a couple years ago, and he kind of had a stall last year with a shoulder injury and some control issues.
Quinn Matthews in June, 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA.
He won on Tuesday night despite walking four batters in five innings.
But Quinn is finally coming around and pitching like the left-hander, you know, mature, advanced left-hander that the Cardinals thought he could become for them.
Do they bring him up and give him a shot in that role and move Leahy back into the bullpen role?
I really think that would make them a more complete team.
Leahy is better when he can face batters one time or two times at the most and not have to face them a third time through.
He struggled with that all this season.
He did make it through the sixth inning on Wednesday, but I just think long-term he would better suit this team as a long reliever.
Or do the Cardinals bring back Hunter Dobbins?
The Cardinals know what they're going to get from him.
He's had two starts this season where he's been pretty good.
He's had two long relief outings where he's been really good.
So I think, you know, the Cardinals know they're going to get a solid guy from him.
Chris Roycroft is likely to be sent down.
He struggled again on Wednesday, gave up four hits, three earned runs.
It took him 42 pitches to get four outs.
So Roycroft will most likely be sent down on Thursday before the team heads to Kansas City.
You know, now might be the time to bring up Quinn Matthews for his major league debut and put him in that five spot and be able to use Leahy out of the bullpen.
Of course, he won't be able to pitch for a couple of days after working six innings today.
But I believe deep down, and I think the Cardinals have to be contemplating at this point, could Leahy fix their, you know, cure their ails in the bullpen and then, you know, another starter such as Dobbins or such as Quinn Matthews could give him basically what he's given them now from that starting role.
I think they could address two issues with one move here.
So it'll be interesting to see if the Cardinals make a move in the coming days to, you know, to help their bullpen and to, you know, switch up the mix a little bit in the starting rotation.
Leahy has been good this season, not great.
The Cardinals are six and eight in his 14 starts so far.
So, you know, the wheels have to be turned and they have to be wondering if they can improve that position the same way they have done at third base, at catcher, and in center field so far.
That's your Cardinal Report.
I'm John Denton with Roundtable Sports.
