St. Louis is reportedly rethinking its starting rotation structure heading into the season. According to John Denton of MLB.com, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol and his staff are deep in discussions about opening the year with a six‐man rotation—a move that could see the addition of rookie Michael McGreevy to the mix.
#STLCards manager Oli Marmol said he and the coaching staff are discussing using a 6-man starting rotation early on. It would involve Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde, Steven Matz, Miles Mikolas, Andre Pallante and Michael McGreevy.
McGreevy could swing between starting and relieving.
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) March 17, 2025
What the Cardinals Are Considering
The starting five would feature a Cardinals pitching rotation of Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde, Steven Matz, Miles Mikolas and Andre Pallante, while McGreevy—who has impressed in spring training with a 1.96 ERA over 11.2 innings and an 8:0 K:BB ratio—would serve as the sixth starter. His versatility, being able to swing between starting and relieving, has caught the coaching staff’s attention, offering the team more leeway to manage innings and workload early in the season.
There are obviously factors that could yet change the composition of a potential six-man group. Injuries are abundant this time of year and could impact any rotation at any point. The Cardinals were at least reported to be “open” to offers on Fedde earlier this spring, though there’s no real indication they’re seriously pursuing a trade of the affordable right-hander, who’s earning $7.5 million this year.
They’ve also been considering left-hander Matthew Liberatore for rotation work. Although president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said last week that, at least initially, the expectation was that Liberatore would break camp as a reliever, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
McGreevy, 24, was the Cardinals’ first-round pick in 2021 and made his MLB debut in 2024. Over 23 innings, he posted a stellar 1.96 ERA with an 18:2 K:BB ratio. In Triple-A Memphis, he posted a 4.02 ERA, a 21.6% strikeout rate, a 6.9% walk rate and a 49% ground-ball rate. McGreevy’s performance was enough to showcase his ability to generate weak contact and limit free passes.
Strategic Advantages and Potential Challenges
A six-man rotation could offer an extra day of rest for the veteran arms, reducing fatigue over a long season. The Cardinals pitching rotation already benefits from players with favorable contracts and trade protection, making the risk of an expanded rotation less concerning. McGreevy’s strong spring performance adds a fresh, young spark that could evolve into a reliable rotation arm.
However, critics questions whether disrupting the traditional five-man rotation might impact routine and team chemistry. Balancing the workload across six pitchers could prove challenging if the extra day off disrupts established patterns. Still, with the Cardinals core pitchers largely locked in, the potential benefits of incresed flexibility may well outweigh the drawbacks.
While no official announcement has been made, this rumor adds another layer to the Cardinals’ early-season intrigue. As roster decisions are finalized, it will be interesting to see if St. Louis embraces this innovative apporach.
Main Photo: © Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
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