Quinn Mathews allows seven runs in loss Saturday

Mathews returns to the big leagues with both Andre Pallante (elbow) and Hunter Dobbins (forearm) landing on the injured list in rapid succession. The 25-year-old southpaw has allowed three runs with a 10/6 K/BB ratio across nine innings of work in a pair of starts over the last couple weeks. He figures to have a rotation spot with the Cardinals for at least a couple weeks and offers enough strikeout upside to be interesting for fantasy purposes. The big question is whether he can throw enough strikes to be a consistent starter at the highest level.

This was an expected move as Mathews was designated as the Cardinals’ 27th man ahead of their double-header against the Reds on Monday. He pitched well though, allowing just one run and striking out seven over four innings. It’s likely he gets another opportunity in St. Louis’ rotation before the end of the season.

It took Matthews 95 pitches to get 12 outs, so he wasn’t allowed to try to qualify for the win with a 2-1 lead. Still, this makes two solid outings in two tries for him this month. He’ll rejoin Triple-A Memphis after serving as the 27th man today, but he should get a chance to make more starts for the Cardinals before the end of the year.

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.