Cardinals closer matches all-time reliever season from San Diego superstar

Now that the dust has settled on the 2026 regular season, most, if not all, speculation has become fact. One of those facts? Riley O’Brien is tied for the National League lead in saves. 

After a legacy start to his season, the right-hander posted a 1.17 ERA through his first 15.1 innings. Unfortunately, he stumbled in later months, resulting in a 4.08 ERA. 

O’Brien came out of nowhere. That’s the part of the story that gets lost in translation. Once someone becomes a closer, the last three outs become synonymous with their last name. 

For O’Brien, the change was swift. He burst onto the scene in 2025, down the stretch. He transitioned into the closer role after fellow 2025 stud Matt Svanson suffered a brutal fall-off. 

Through all the trials and tribulations of O’Brien’s 2026 season, he still managed to top everyone not named Mason Miller in the National League for saves—that deserves praise.

Yet another bright spot in a season set aside to sit back and find out in St. Louis. So what now?

Cardinals can’t commit to a closer 

Although O’Brien’s career-high in saves deserves praise, it doesn’t have fans gung-ho for another go-around. 

That’s because down the stretch, O’Brien was a tougher watch than Hangover 3. 

In August, he served up a 5.73 ERA, and in September/October, he improved ever so slightly to 4.82.

St. Louis is now in a position where they have young arms in bulk. A few starters who could see action in relief roles to start their MLB careers include Brandon Clarke, Tanner Franklin, and Cooper Hjerpe. 

With that, O’Brien, a 31-year-old, becomes expendable. 

He’s better suited for a flex role where his closing experience is utilized in favorable matchups, but not a pushed narrative for fans. 

The Cardinals will have plenty of offseason decisions to make regarding all different parts of their roster. The bullpen, although volatile, is the easiest part to restock. 

Right now, O’Brien is a 2027 backend option. But if all goes according to plan, even after so many saves, he shouldn’t be the set-and-forget man in the ninth inning. 

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