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St. Louis Cardinals biggest unsung hero since the All-Star break

A much needed summer boost!
Aug 16, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Hunter Dobbins (40) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Aug 16, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Hunter Dobbins (40) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If you were to take into account Hunter Dobbins' first half of the 2026 season with the St. Louis Cardinals, you may not have expected him to play a large role in the teams' plans beyond the All-Star break. However, with another impressive outing on Sunday, Dobbins has been the breath of fresh air that the Cardinals' rotation needed.

Beginning with his numbers in Triple-A, Dobbins was good enough to earn a call-up as a spot starter in late April, sporting a 5-1 record and a 4.16 ERA in 13 starts with the Memphis Redbirds. Although the Cardinals won his season debut against the Pirates, control proved to be an issue, as Dobbins allowed five free passes. That delayed his next big-league appearance, which came a month later against the Cubs. Dobbins looked more polished in that outing but not enough to stay in the majors, allowing one run in 3 2/3 innings of relief.

Hunter Dobbins has helped the Cardinals continue their surprise playoff push

After two starts in June, it wasn't until July that Dobbins began to stick in St. Louis' rotation, giving manager Oli Marmol the benefit of fielding a six-man rotation at times. In three appearances during the month of July, Dobbins went 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA, including six scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels in what finished as a 1-0 victory to break a four-game losing streak. However, to begin the month of August, Dobbins has reached a new gear. Against difficult opponents, all of which are in playoff contention (Yankees, Phillies and Cubs), Dobbins has gone 1-2 in 16 1/3 innings of work, striking out 17 batters while carrying a 2.76 ERA.

While none of these numbers jump off the page, it's pivotal production at the right time for St. Louis, who now seem to be recovering from an unfortunate skid in July that saw them drop 12 of 15 games. Additionally, relative to the expectations of a sixth starter, Dobbins has kept the Cardinals in games and has given Marmol length when needed. Now, three games behind the final Wild Card spot in the National League, St. Louis fans will be much more appreciative of Dobbins if the franchise is able to jump back into playoff contention.

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