Fantasy News

• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Unimpressive in no-decision

  Rotowire May 14, 2024

  Liberatore allowed four runs on five hits and two walks while striking out one batter over 3.1 innings in a no-decision against the Angels on Monday. Liberatore hurled two scoreless frames before the Angels tagged him for four runs in the third, with the final two tallies coming on a Kevin Pillar two-run homer. The southpaw departed in line for the loss, but St. Louis' offense eventually heated up to take him off the hook. This was Liberatore's second start of the season, and it came primarily as a result of Steven Matz landing on the injured list due to a back injury. Matz isn't expected back soon, but it wouldn't be surprising if the Cardinals put Liberatore back in the bullpen given his poor results Monday.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Set for start Monday

  Rotowire May 12, 2024

  Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Liberatore will start Monday's series opener against the Angels in Anaheim, John Denton of MLB.com reports. After he had worked out of the bullpen all season, Liberatore was on a limited pitch count when he was called upon to take over the injured Steven Matz's (back) spot in the rotation last Sunday versus the White Sox. Liberatore struck out five and allowed one earned run over 3.2 innings in a no-decision against Chicago before shifting back to the bullpen for this weekend's series in Milwaukee. He recorded just one out while allowing two earned runs in Friday's 11-2 loss, so Liberatore will be taking the hill on two days' rest Monday. Expect Liberatore to once again operate on a pitch limit, making him an unappealing streaming target.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Available in relief

  Rotowire May 9, 2024

  Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Thursday that Liberatore will be available out of the bullpen for the team's series this weekend in Milwaukee, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. Liberatore remains a candidate to draw a start early next week, but he will sit with the relievers this weekend in case he's needed. The left-hander allowed one run over 3.2 innings in a spot start versus the White Sox in his last appearance and before that held a 2.76 ERA in 12 relief appearances.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Nabs win in matinee

  Rotowire May 1, 2024

  Liberatore (1-1) pitched a perfect inning and struck out two batters to earn the win in Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader versus the Tigers. Liberatore bounced back from his first loss of the season Sunday with a clean outing in the eighth inning Tuesday. The Cardinals then rallied ahead in the ninth, and Ryan Helsley closed the door for a save. Liberatore has been solid with a 2.93 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 9:8 K:BB through 15.1 innings over 11 appearances as a multi-inning relief option this season. Tuesday also marked the first time in six appearances he avoided walking a batter.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Takes extra-innings loss

  Rotowire Apr 29, 2024

  Liberatore (0-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk over three innings, taking the extra-innings loss versus the Mets on Sunday. He did not record a strikeout. Liberatore was called on for a long-relief assignment that began in the eighth inning and ended with a walk-off home run by Mark Vientos in the 11th. This was Liberatore's longest outing of the season, and it came in a game during which the Cardinals' bullpen had multiple high-leverage relievers unavailable due to recent workloads. The southpaw now has a 3.14 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 7:8 K:BB across 14.1 innings over 10 appearances this season. Liberatore's history as a starter will keep him in a long-relief role unless the Cardinals feel the need to swap him out for a fresher arm heading into Monday's game versus the Tigers.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Not available Sunday

  Rotowire Apr 14, 2024

  Liberatore will be unavailable with an illness for the third straight day Sunday against the Diamondbacks, John Denton of MLB.com reports. Liberatore was sent home Thursday with an illness that had him nauseous and will not be available to pitch against the Diamondbacks. The reliever, who currently has a 3.52 ERA, will reconvene with the team Monday as they travel to Oakland to face the Athletics, though his availability to pitch in that series is still unknown.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Moving to bullpen

  Rotowire Mar 22, 2024

  Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Friday that Liberatore will work out of the bullpen to begin the season, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The 24-year-old was attempting to win a spot in St. Louis' season-opening rotation, but Zack Thompson will instead fill in while Sonny Gray (hamstring) is on the injured list. Liberatore started in 11 of his 22 big-league appearances last season and could work as a swingman again in 2024.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Tagged with loss

  Rotowire Sep 23, 2023

  Liberatore (3-6) allowed two runs on two hits and struck out one over two-thirds of an inning to take the loss Friday versus the Padres. The young lefty surrendered a two-run home run to Manny Machado in the eighth inning, ending Liberatore's eight-inning scoreless streak. He has a 5.52 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 44:24 K:BB through 58.2 innings across 19 outings (11 starts) this season.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Set for bullpen role

  Rotowire Sep 5, 2023

  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: Returns from IL

  Rotowire Sep 5, 2023

  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: Getting another rehab start

  Rotowire Sep 2, 2023

  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 Aug 31, 2023

  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 Aug 28, 2023

  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: Next start moved to Wednesday

  Rotowire Aug 20, 2023

  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: Possible waiver wire pickups

  Rotowire Aug 14, 2023

  It's easy to dismiss Liberatore's two-hit gem at the Rays on Thursday given how uninspiring his major-league career has been up to this point, but notably, it was fueled by an increase in velocity of 1-1.5 mph across the board. And the Cardinals are giving the impression it's something he can sustain, brought about by a mechanical adjustment that finally clicked after weeks of lower body work. The key, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, is the way he pushes off the pitching rubber. "It's a little bit of tempo," said Liberatore. "It's a little bit of confidence and trust. It's a little bit of the core and glutes being strong enough to dominate the move rather than the quads and lower back. And I felt like I was a lot more centered." Maybe it turns out to be a one-hit wonder, but for a 23-year-old with a prospect pedigree, it's reason to take a flier.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Gets lit up in first inning

  Rotowire Jul 6, 2023

  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.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Friday's start postponed

  Rotowire Jun 30, 2023

  Liberatore's scheduled start against the Yankees has been postponed due to inclement weather, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. The young lefty was scheduled to square off against Luis Severino, but the game will instead be made up as part of a doubleheader Saturday. It's likely Liberatore will start one of the two games of that twin bill.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Pulled in third inning

  Rotowire Jun 25, 2023

  Liberatore did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing four unearned runs on four hits and two walks over 2.1 innings against the Cubs. He struck out three. Liberatore was tagged for four runs in the first, but none of them were earned due to two errors from the Cardinals defense. The left-hander was pulled in the third inning at 56 pitches (33 strikes) in favor of Jake Woodford, who earned the win. Liberatore has started six of his seven MLB appearances this season, but Sunday's outing was by far his shortest as a starter, as he completed at least four innings in each of his other starts. The 23-year-old's spot in the rotation remains secure moving forward, especially if Jack Flaherty (hip) has to miss extended time, but Liberatore figures to have a short leash during his outings, with Woodford and Steven Matz available as long-relief options out of the bullpen.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Allows season-high five earned runs

  Rotowire Jun 18, 2023

  Liberatore did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing five runs on four hits and two walks over four innings against the Mets. He struck out two. Liberatore allowed a season-high five earned runs, but he escaped with a no-decision thanks to the Cardinals' offensive explosion. It was a disappointing outing for the left-hander, who was coming off his first quality start of the year, and his ERA has ballooned to 6.12 through six appearances (five starts). The 23-year-old won the fifth-starter gig to start June while Steven Matz shifted to the bullpen, but Liberatore's spot in the rotation isn't guaranteed, especially if he continues to struggle.

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• Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Yields two runs in no-decision

  Rotowire Jun 12, 2023

  Liberatore allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks over six innings in Monday's 4-3 loss to the Giants. He struck out five and didn't factor in the decision. Liberatore coughed up both runs in the third inning but otherwise was able to navigate through the Giants' lineup. After allowing eight earned runs in his last two starts, Monday's outing was his first quality start at the MLB level this season. He dropped his ERA to 5.14 alongside a 16:10 K:BB through 21 innings. Liberatore is lined up to face the Mets on the road this weekend.

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