Matthew Liberatore

Liberatore has been unable to find his footing in a starting role. He was handed six starts by the Cardinals last season and produced a 6.35 ERA, pushing his mark in 24 career starts at the big-league level to 5.86, along with an unsightly 17.4 percent strikeout rate and 10 percent walk rate. The left-hander's stuff has played up in shorter stints, however, and when he was used exclusively in relief from August on he posted a 2.67 ERA, 25 percent strikeout rate and six percent walk rate. Even if Liberatore has found his niche as a reliever, his persistent issues versus right-handed batters (career .878 OPS, .823 OPS in 2024) could prevent an ascension to an eighth- or ninth-inning role. Read Past Outlooks