5 players the St. Louis Cardinals did dirty during the 2024 season

Michael McGreevy

Last but not least is a guy who I "did dirty" with my own analysis of him this past year. When Michael McGreevy got the call to make a spot start for St. Louis on July 31st, I rolled my eyes. The club was in contention at that point, and frankly, I did not think McGreevy was an MLB-caliber arm. Maybe for a bullpen one day, but certainly not as a starter.

But man, McGreevy came out and shoved for the Cardinals, against a quality team like the Rangers as well. McGreevy went seven innings while allowing just one run on five hits for St. Louis that day, turning in one of their best starts of the entire season and helping lead the Cardinals to a much-needed win.

McGreevy would not make another MLB appearance until September 18th. He did not make another start until September 24th.

I mean come on. I know the Cardinals rotation was full at that moment, but as it became clearer and clearer that their playoff chances were not real, they should have immediately thrown McGreevy back in the rotation to see what he had and to get him prepared for 2025. In McGreevy's final two starts this year for St. Louis, he went five innings while giving up three runs against the Rockies in Coors Field and they turned in an eight-inning, one-run-allowed performance against the Giants.

McGreevy was simply phenomenal for the Cardinals whenever he got a shot this year, and it is a shame that he was not given more opportunities to help the club and continue his own development. No, McGreevy won't be replicating his 1.96 ERA in 2025, but he has certainly earned a rotation spot, and that should have been given to him earlier in 2024 as well.