The Cardinals' bullpen has been a runway success

It has, undoubtedly, been the season of the runway. In fact, nobody will be forgiven if they hope to never hear the word “runway” again.

We’ve heard time and time again how 2025 was going to be a year where the St. Louis Cardinals took a step back in the standings to give runway to a set of players, an opportunity for the team to see what it truly had before looking to contend again.  (I’ll swallow my rant about how the stepping back part was unnecessary, as I’ve written it on this site already time and time again.)

And yet, despite that, so much remains murky for the prime players involved — Jordan Walker continues to struggle amid flashes of potential improvement. Nolan Gorman seems to have turned the corner offensively but no longer knows how to play a competent third base. Even the rotation’s runway players aren’t without question marks. Can anyone be sure that Andre Pallante will be a member of the 2026 rotation? Can we be sure he’ll even remain a member of the 2025 rotation for the rest of September?

Bright spots have bloomed, of course. Ivan Herrera and Alec Burleson look like keepers, Matthew Liberatore has outperformed expectations, and Michael McGreevy looks like a sure bet to be a mid-rotation mainstay.

But the biggest bright spot might be the least talked-about aspect of this runway season: the bullpen arms.

The Cardinals entered the year with three veterans in the bullpen: closer Ryan Helsley, free agent pickup Phil Maton, and starter-turned-swingman Steven Matz. The rest of the bullpen, except for JoJo Romero, was filled with guys who were playing for future opportunities.

Those opportunities only increased after the trade deadline. With the trades of Helsley to the New York Mets, Maton to the Rangers, and Matz to the Red Sox, gone were the closer, setup man, and key reliever. Important slots for next year’s bullpen were now up for grabs.

So far, so good.

Romero’s season has been incredibly impressive. One of John Mozeliak’s most underrated trade pickups, Romero has improved on last year’s breakout.  His 2.30 ERA over 47 innings has sparkled, as has the fact he’s let up two – two! – homers all year. For comparison’s sake, Erick Fedde let up two homers in the time it took you to read this paragraph.

But Romero was someone we had high hopes for. How about Matt Svanson? The rookie is sporting a 2.18 ERA and hitters are averaging .151 against him. Or Kyle Leahy pitching important innings while showcasing what he might be able to do in a rotation. Back in March, did anyone really have Leahy or Svanson as possible impact players next season?

Andre Granillo and Gordon Graceffo have impressed while riding the Memphis shuttle, and Riley O’Brien is flashing the kind of potential the team envisioned last year.

Will each of these names impress the same next season? Likely not, as bullpen arms are always so volatile. But in a season so focused on the runway for younger players, it’s nice to see at least one position group come out shining.