McGreevy's scintillating start is forcing the Cardinals' hand

After a long and exhaustive search, the St. Louis Cardinals might have finally found the missing piece in their rotation. Following Steven Matz's injury in early May, the Cardinals threw several darts on fifth starters, hoping one would stick. After going through Matthew Liberatore, Gordon Graceffo and Andre Pallante as starters, to mixed results, the team promoted 2021 first-round pick Michael McGreevy from Triple-A Memphis and placed him on the bump to face the Texas Rangers on July 31.

McGreevy's debut with the Cardinals came with an ominous tidbit of trivia, as he was the first Cardinals pitcher to make his major league debut as a starter in Busch Stadium since Mike Mayers made his dismal debut on July 24, 2016. But while Mayers got rocked for nine runs on eight hits in 1.1 innings, McGreevy displayed total control through seven innings, allowing only one run on five hits, giving up one walk and striking out three.

His performance surprised many, as McGreevy hadn't been especially dominant in Memphis this season, holding a 4.45 ERA, and left-handed hitters have hit him to a tune of a .280 average. But he utilized his ground ball tendencies masterfully in his first major league start, forcing 12 outs on the ground and preserving the bullpen for the upcoming divisional series against the Chicago Cubs.

The Cardinals must now decide whether McGreevy has earned a second start in the big leagues. When St. Louis acquired Erick Fedde from the Chicago White Sox the day before the trade deadline, it appeared that they finally had a reliable quintet of starters. But as fate would have it, Lance Lynn was shelved with right knee inflammation after his start on July 30, sending the Cardinals back to square one.

Pallante has been the Cardinals' most successful fifth starter, owning a 3.61 ERA in the role and holding opponents to a .245 average. It appears likely that because of McGreevy's unremarkable numbers in Memphis, the man of the hour will be heartily thanked for his efforts and sent back to Triple-A.

Once major league hitters see more of McGreevy, he almost certainly won't fare as well as he did in his first start, so rolling with Pallante, who has been solid for several outings, as they head down the stretch might be the Cardinals' best move. But if Pallante is the Cardinals' horse of choice, they should be able to breathe a little easier knowing that they have a major league-ready option waiting in the wings. McGreevy's first taste of the show may be brief, but he won't be messing around the next time he charges into Busch Stadium.