Cardinals reportedly considering promoting Fireballer after dominant start to season

The St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff has exceeded expectations so far this season and is a big part of why the club doesn’t have the worst record in baseball.

The three new veteran starting pitchers are holding their own and the bullpen has been dominant. However, with the recent injury to left-hander Steven Matz, the Cardinals are now faced with the reality that they may need more pitching depth.

After Sunday’s frustrating 5-1 loss to the White Sox in which the St. Louis bullpen pitched the entire game, the Cardinals could be make a call to minors for help.

“(Chris) Roycroft, whose history includes college basketball, has a top-octave power fastball and is in line for a promotion as the Cardinals consider bullpen moves after the game by committee on Sunday and before the (New York Mets) series,” Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Monday afternoon.

Roycroft posted a 1.38 ERA with a 9-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a .213 batting average and a 1.23 WHIP in 13 innings pitched over 11 games played for Triple-A Memphis this season .

The 26-year-old began his journey in the St. Louis farm system in 2022 and quickly worked his way up to Triple-A last summer.

The flamethrower is capable of throwing in the upper 90 mph range and could be another key asset to the Cardinals bullpen – if he can translate his minor league success to the next level.

Adding another power pitcher to the staff will hopefully give the Cardinals more flexibility, but more importantly, in the short term, replenish a bullpen that is full of players in need of a night or two of rest.

More MLB: Cardinals’ Oli Marmol ends possibility of outside additions despite slow start