Matthew

Liberatore

Liberatore showed his best velocity of the year today and wound up with seven strikeouts. The 28 sliders he threw produced 10 missed swings and two weakly hit balls, one of which was a bunt. His other pitches were hit harder, but he still yielded just three singles in moving to 1-1 with a 3.93 ERA. His next start is due to come against the Mets in New York.

Liberatore struck out seven and walked none, but 12 of the 20 balls in play against him were hit hard and three more barely missed the threshold. Liberatore has struggled mightily against right-handers as a major leaguer, and the trend has held up through two starts this year; righties are batting .341 against him, whereas the few lefties he’s gotten to face are hitless. He really seems best suited for the pen.

The 25-year-old southpaw struck out four on the evening and didn’t walk a batter. The only real trouble that he got into came in the third inning as the Angels strung together four straight two-out hits to push three runs across. He settled in nicely afterwards though and allowed just one baserunner over his final three frames. Liberatore got four swings and misses on 77 pitches on the night, posting an underwhelming CSW of 23 percent. He’s lined up for a pair of starts next week, taking on the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Monday and then a home tilt against the Phillies on Sunday afternoon.

Fedde and Andre Pallante will toe the rubber to close out a three-game series against the Twins before Miles Mikolas and Matthew Liberatore kick off another home series against the Angels early next week. It’ll be Opening Day starter Sonny Gray wrapping up that set.

Liberatore beat out Michael McGreevy with a 1.62 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 9/4 K/BB ratio in 16 2/3 innings this spring. The 25-year-old left-hander owns a 4.99 career ERA in 91 appearances mostly out of the bullpen for St. Louis. Liberatore’s fantasy value is limited to NL-Only leagues to start the year.

Liberatore allowed two hits, walked two and struck out two. He closes out the spring with a 1.62 ERA in 16 2/3 innings, but it still seems like Michael McGreevy has overtaken him on the rotation depth chart. Liberatore probably will return to the bullpen, though the Cardinals do have the option of sending him down to Triple-A and allowing him to continue to start.

Liberatore has given up two runs in 12 2/3 innings as he tries to stay in the running for a rotation spot. Andre Pallante appears to be the vulnerable Cardinals starter at this point, but he helped his cause last time out. Liberatore figures to have a bullpen spot if he doesn’t make the rotation.

Liberatore followed Michael McGreevy’s three scoreless innings. Those two are probably the favorites for any openings that arise in the St. Louis rotation, whether it’s through injury or trade. Liberatore figures to stick as a reliever if he’s not in the rotation, while McGreevy would most likely head to Triple-A.

Liberatore made six starts last season, the last of which came on July 24, and had a 6.35 ERA, compared to 3.69 in his 54 relief appearances. He’s no higher than sixth on the Cardinals’ SP depth chart at the moment, but injuries strike and there is some chance that Erick Fedde or Steven Matz will be traded.

The left-hander allowed two extra-base hits including a solo shot to Rowdy Tellez. Liberatore induced eight whiffs on 30 swings for a 27 percent whiff rate and 30 percent CSW. He doesn’t figure to remain in the rotation and should be off fantasy radars.