2026 rotation

[RunSup]

I doubt Doyle starts the season in the MLB rotation

Agreed. I would not pencil Doyle on for 2026 rotation.

If you add him to the 2027 rotation, you are also replacing Gray.

The Cardinals will be looking for other prospects to advance. Not just McGreevy. Likely targets by then are Mathew's, Roby, Henderson, ... maybe Hence though he has not stayed healthy as a starter... others?

[renostl]

Gray
Doyle
McGreevy
Libertore
?

Pallante

Gallen Valdez and Cease are available. Which one would you want? Is there another SP that fits? IMO needs to be a 1 or a 2 if they truly want to compete. Don’t put so much pressure on Doyle as a rookie

Knowing Doyle's personality from seeing him at Tenn. , there won't be pressure. The team is in a rebuild and he will probably feel less pressure than he did for the Vols trying to get to the College WS in Omaho . I am not concerned about pressure for him . He will be playing for very revamped Cardinal team. Let him have fun and fire the ball and act 'crazy' out there !

But they still need to add to the top. Gray is not a true #1 and Doyle according to most projects as a #2 unless secondaries develop more. Libertore and McGreevy are bottom of the rotation guys and Pallante is a meh 5-6. Everyone knows injuries will happen and teams need 7SP. Just hope they don’t go after another bottom of the rotation guy and end up with quantity and not quality

Do you really think the cardinals would invest in a top line starter, especially with a major work stoppage on the horizon? No chance

Very good point.

Do players get paid if THEY strike?

[Dicktar2023]

Gray
Doyle
McGreevy
Libertore
?

Pallante

Gallen Valdez and Cease are available. Which one would you want? Is there another SP that fits? IMO needs to be a 1 or a 2 if they truly want to compete. Don’t put so much pressure on Doyle as a rookie

Erick Fedde has a better chance of being in the rotation next year than Doyle.

Maybe to open the year, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see Doyle in the rotation by the end of the year. Certainly has a better shot than Fedde.

I dunno...Maybe Bloom is going to usher in a totally new philosophy of player development. Maybe.

More likely Doyle spends next summer working on a new pitch. Maybe a cutter or sweeper that breaks in a special way that keeps his arbitration clock from starting.

[rockondlouie]

Q. Mathews at Memphis this season:

12 GS
44 1/3 IP
4.67 ERA
44 WALKS
1.81 WHiP
10.2 SO9

He's not close to being ready for the 2026 OD rotation.

Hopefully the new regime can correct whatever went wrong at Memphis for the second year in a row (2024: 4 GS/6.48 ERA).

He's gotten killed in his 16 GS at AAA the past two years.

Wish it was improving, too, but it’s not.

Last 5 starts:

18.1 IP
15 H
20 BB
23 K

That’s just ugly walk totals. AAA can be tough on young pitchers, but still those walk totals are killer.

BB rates
Low-A: 2.9
A+: 1.9
AA: 2.6
AAA: 8.6

At least he's kept his strikeout rate up, that's a positive hopefully the new regime can build on.

[Carp4Cy]

Gray
Doyle
McGreevy
Libertore
?

Pallante

Gallen Valdez and Cease are available. Which one would you want? Is there another SP that fits? IMO needs to be a 1 or a 2 if they truly want to compete. Don’t put so much pressure on Doyle as a rookie

Knowing Doyle's personality from seeing him at Tenn. , there won't be pressure. The team is in a rebuild and he will probably feel less pressure than he did for the Vols trying to get to the College WS in Omaho . I am not concerned about pressure for him . He will be playing for very revamped Cardinal team. Let him have fun and fire the ball and act 'crazy' out there !

But they still need to add to the top. Gray is not a true #1 and Doyle according to most projects as a #2 unless secondaries develop more. Libertore and McGreevy are bottom of the rotation guys and Pallante is a meh 5-6. Everyone knows injuries will happen and teams need 7SP. Just hope they don’t go after another bottom of the rotation guy and end up with quantity and not quality

Do you really think the cardinals would invest in a top line starter, especially with a major work stoppage on the horizon? No chance

Pretty sure players don’t get paid during a strike, so the concern there is overstated.

It's likely to be a lockout, not a strike. Regardless, of course players don't get paid during a work stoppage. I'll argue it's not overstated, especially considering the owners want a salary cap. Why would the Cardinals invest in a huge contract just before something as financially disruptive as a salary cap gets implemented? They don't even issue big contracts without these big unknown factors. It's just not happening unless they can get someone on a one year deal. I do suspect there will be more one year deals this offseason than normal.

How does a 1 year deal fix the lack of TOR prospects? Gray has 1 year left and Doyle may fill 1 of them but he’s a rookie and may take time. They need to find another option experienced TOR SP to solidify the rotation

depending on next year, Gray could be extended. We already have an option and he's not like Verlander/Wainwright age yet. And there will be plenty of dry powder. A one year deal for 2026 would help fill in the gap until Doyle, Libby, and Mcgreevy are all firing at the same time. Plus another year or 2 for Gray. Still need another SP or two from somewhere. Maybe Matthews or Roby evenually pans out and Pallante can be the #6.

[renostl]

I don’t see Doyle being ready in 2026.
Gray
Libby
McGreevy
Pallante
Veteran FA think 2024 Lynn or Gibson type

Sure I would prefer a top of rotation FA signing but I don’t think ownership will spend the money.

Depth
Doyle
Matthews
Roby health ?
Hence health ?
Graceffo
Leahy
Henderson having good year at AA

With today's knowns seems accurate. The TOR FA SP's get term. There are not a lot of teams
that play there and I really can't disagree with teams that don't.

Anyone near McGreevy level or higher comes through trade. The FA signings are about solid
innings, not spectacular innings.

Doyle, everything has to go right and he'll have an innings limit, which is showing up with
Libs and Pallante now.

[Youboughtit]

I don’t see Doyle being ready in 2026.
Gray
Libby
McGreevy
Pallante
Veteran FA think 2024 Lynn or Gibson type

Sure I would prefer a top of rotation FA signing but I don’t think ownership will spend the money.

Depth
Doyle
Matthews
Roby health ?
Hence health ?
Graceffo
Leahy
Henderson having good year at AA

With today's knowns seems accurate. The TOR FA SP's get term. There are not a lot of teams
that play there and I really can't disagree with teams that don't.

Anyone near McGreevy level or higher comes through trade. The FA signings are about solid
innings, not spectacular innings.

Doyle, everything has to go right and he'll have an innings limit, which is showing up with
Libs and Pallante now.

Pallante should not be counted on at all. The prospected except Doyle or not TOR. Gray is not aging well. I would let him expire and get a upgrade as a #1 and save pressure on Doyle

[Jobu's Rum]

I doubt Doyle starts the season in the MLB rotation

+1

[Youboughtit]

I doubt Doyle starts the season in the MLB rotation

+1

That makes it worse

Gray Libertore McGreevy. Pallante should not be considered. They will need a top and middle.

[CorneliusWolfe]

Gray
Doyle
McGreevy
Libertore
?

Pallante

Gallen Valdez and Cease are available. Which one would you want? Is there another SP that fits? IMO needs to be a 1 or a 2 if they truly want to compete. Don’t put so much pressure on Doyle as a rookie

From these three Framber Valdez, all day, every day. I don’t see the Cardinals going that route but Valdez would be a nice TOTR guy. We can’t grow one so going the FA route will be expensive.

Hands down the best choice.

[woofy25]

I doubt Doyle starts the season in the MLB rotation

+1

That makes it worse

Gray Libertore McGreevy. Pallante should not be considered. They will need a top and middle.

I would be prepared for the cardinals to find stop gap guys for next year like Lynn and Gibson last season

[Youboughtit]

I doubt Doyle starts the season in the MLB rotation

+1

That makes it worse

Gray Libertore McGreevy. Pallante should not be considered. They will need a top and middle.

I would be prepared for the cardinals to find stop gap guys for next year like Lynn and Gibson last season

How many years will they keep punting on the season? Fans aren’t going to buy tickets until they spend. I will buy 10 games but not until payroll gets back to $180m plus and I have a superstar worth watching. I buy based on great SP matchups. It’s up to the owner to decide when he want the fans back.