Cardinals' starting pitchers receive varied grades for 2026 performance

The St. Louis Cardinals' starting pitchers delivered a mixed performance in 2026, finishing 20th in ERA (4.27) and showing weaknesses in batting average against (.250). Despite this, several young pitchers like Andre Pallante, Quinn Mathews, and Kyle Leahy demonstrated improvement. Pallante had a standout year, lowering his ERA from 5.31 to 3.83 and introducing new pitching techniques. Mathews impressed in his initial nine starts, while Leahy ended with the lowest ERA among all starters at 3.66. The team sees potential for growth heading into the offseason, with a focus on better command and performance consistency.

• 3:53 AMYahoo Sports — Grades for Cardinals Starting Pitchers in 2026