Proposing an unconventional Cardinals pitching staff overhaul

If ever there was a year for the St. Louis Cardinals to experiment with their starting rotation, 2026 would be it. Sonny Gray's big contract will be shopped this winter. Next off season MLB and the player's union will be negotiating a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Big changes could be headed to baseball as a whole. The timing could be right for a different philosophy in building a pitching staff.

Bring on the "piggyback" rotation. Essentially pairing up two starting pitchers whose job it is to get 8 or 9 innings for that game. An extended version would fill out a rotation with another 3 to 4 pairs to work in tandem. Ideally, this puts less pressure on both the starters and the bullpen while creatively managing the workload for young arms.

Here is how it works

All tandems have a starting pitcher 1 (SP1) & a starting pitcher 2 (SP2). Each tandem gets paired with a different style SP. Preferably a RH & LH combo as well as a power & finesse thrower to keep a lineup off balance at the plate. The goal is to get a minimum of four IP out of each without facing an opposing batter for a third time through the lineup. In 2025, throughout MLB, there was a 48-point increase of OPS from the first PA v. third PA against the SP.

All SP are capped at 70-75 pitches per outing. This would allow the ballclub to advance younger arms at a more rapid pace because they are not being asked for six strong innings anymore. Ideally, this would also limit some injuries with a "less effort" model. If SP1 struggles to get through 4 IP, a call to the bullpen can bridge the gap. According to Baseball Reference, MLB pitching staffs averaged right around 148 pitches per game in 2025.

What changes for the staff

In reality, not much changes with the exception being, the long reliever position is expanded to multiple SP2s. The benchmark of 200 IP is no longer the feat it was 20 years ago. Back in 2015, fifty SPs achieved that mark versus 2025 when only three were able to do the same. The precipitous fall is across the board in SP stats. The percent of Quality Starts, averaging at least 6 IP per start and the average of total pitches thrown per game have all bottomed out over the course of the last 20 years. Take a look at the 10-year increments chart.

Total Amount of Starting Pitchers

The Pros

Implementing the "piggyback" means the ability to use more cost-controlled kids at a lower toll on the payroll. Which then allows more money to be spent on the everyday nine in the lineup. If the Cardinals can get 7+ solid innings out of a Quinn Mathews/Kyle Leahy type combo for $1.5 million compared to a $35 million Sonny Gray or $18 million Miles Mikolas on a nightly basis, Cardinal ownership can't complain about chasing a couple $30 million bats in free agency or trade to bolster the offense.

This can also accelerate the progress of all these college-drafted SP to the big club where they get more tutelage under Dusty Blake. Fewer pitches per outing equals less stress on the arm. Less injury leads to more impact on the field.

Roster manipulation becomes easier for guys with more options. If someone needs to work on refining a pitch at AAA, next man up. Remember, they are only being asked for 12 outs. Since 2026 is aligned to be another runway season, let's see what is up and coming on the farm and who can compete at this level with consistency.

Personal thoughts

The overall game is already headed that way as shown in the above table. Be proactive and take advantage of the opportunity. Stop trying to force a trend that has been spiraling downward for decades. If a starter is throwing darts and shutting bats down, send him out for the 6th or 7th inning, but have a plan in place.

The Cards have at least nine SP, waiting in the wings, aged 23-25, who have all thrown over 400 innings between college and minors. For comparison, Matthew Liberatore has 415 minor league innings. Andre Pallante sits at 404 between college and minors. Graceffo, Leahy, and McGreevy were also over 400 IP on the farm. All have had some form of success at the major league level.

It's definitely a different mindset to install for a Chaim Bloom-led organization, but it could pay big dividends in the end.