Quinn Mathews fans seven in spot start versus Reds

Mathews will likely only be up as the 27th man and then return to Triple-A afterwards. Andre Pallante will start the second game of the doubleheader.

This is surprising, especially following Dustin May’s departure. Mathews did solid work against the Jays in his major league debut Saturday (2 ER in 5+ innings), and it seemed like he was going to get an extended look. Something obviously has changed since, or the Cardinals presumably would have sent him down on Sunday.

Mathews allowed six hits, walked three and struck out three, which doesn’t sound great. However, he allowed just four hard-hit balls, and he finished with 12 whiffs and a solid 29 percent CSW. He was likely to stay in the rotation no matter how today went, but it was definitely a decent enough first effort. Since he’s lined up for a home start against the Rockies, he’s a fair streaming option next week.

Mathews will make his major-league debut against the Blue Jays on Saturday at the Rogers Centre. The 25-year-old southpaw was widely regarded as one of baseball’s most exciting pitching prospects entering last season before a shoulder injury, compounded by mechanical issues that wreaked havoc on his command, completely derailed his development. The result was nearly 50 Triple-A starts over the past two seasons instead of a prolonged opportunity in the majors. He still misses bats at an impressive clip, keeping him firmly on the fantasy radar, but his inability to consistently throw strikes amplifies the risk more than most pitching prospects. He’s a fascinating talent, but forecasting his future is extremely challenging. He’s certainly not a fit for risk-averse fantasy managers.

The 25-year-old hurler has made 19 starts at Triple-A Memphis this season, registering a 3.13 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and a 111/52 K/BB ratio across 92 innings of work. His strikeout upside could make him an intriguing addition in deeper mixed leagues, though his elevated walk rate does lead to risk in the ratio departments as well.

Mathews also allowed just one hit and three walks while striking out eight. It was his best start of the season, but he does still sit with a 5.56 ERA on the year. He’ll need to string a few more of these together before being in the mix for a call-up.

Mathews also struck out six but walked three and allowed two home runs. The 25-year-old had a tremendous 2024 season in the minors and was solid last season in Triple-A after battling some arm fatigue. He had one solid start to begin this season, but has now allowed eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings while walking seven and striking out 11. He is likely behind both Richard Fitts and Hunter Dobbins for a potential call-up.

Matthews opened the game with a HBP, a double, a run-scoring wild pitch and then a walk, leading to a mound visit. He was great after that, though, and he even picked off Juan Soto, who hit the double, from second base to end the first. Improved control would put Matthews in line to join the Cardinals rotation sometime this summer. Last year, he had a 107/74 K/BB in 94 innings in Triple-A.

Mathews was arguably the most exciting pitching prospect in baseball at this juncture last season when he blazed through four level to reach the doorstep of the majors. A combination of injuries and control issues derailed his 2025 campaign, but he’s strung together a handful of solid starts since the beginning of August, putting himself in the conversation for a late-season cameo with the Cardinals. He remains a work in progress in the control department, but there’s enough strikeout upside to dream on for fantasy purposes.

Mathews scattered two hits and needed only 45 pitches (30 strikes) to navigate three frames in his second rehab outing in the lower minors. The 24-year-old pitching prospect’s stock took a hit earlier this season as he battled command issues at the Triple-A level before hitting the injured list with shoulder soreness. He’s looked extremely sharp in rehab outings and figures to arrive in St. Louis at some point in the second half. His elite strikeout potential makes him extremely intriguing from a fantasy standpoint.