The Cardinals' pitching durability has been a modern marvel

The magical pixie dust that detractors of the St. Louis Cardinals grumbled about enveloping the team is dead and gone, but even though they have not delivered where it matters, the Cardinals have been among the most fortunate clubs in baseball in one integral aspect.

The Cardinals' pitching has been nearly injury-free all season long.

When the Cardinals placed relief pitcher John King on the injured list on July 30, he was the first Cardinals pitcher to hit the shelf in 2025. That is an incredible run of stability for the Cardinals' hurlers, and although there is undoubtedly plenty of luck behind it, Oli Marmol, the team's frequently lambasted manager, deserves some credit for not overworking pitchers.

The Cardinals have been ripped for some of their decisions, such as their choice to send Michael McGreevy down to Triple-A in June, but Marmol said the move was made to avoid overtaxing the bullpen by giving the team a six-man rotation, which would remove an arm from the bullpen.

Small moves like this, though unpopular, may have contributed to the bullpen's and the rotation's consistent health throughout the grind of the season. Another potential factor is one that fans won't like to hear, but because the Cardinals' starters don't throw triple-digit smoke and strike hitters out at a high clip, there is less stress on their arms. Pitching to contact may no longer be a realistic way to win, but those massive strikeout numbers come at a cost, as the Los Angeles Dodgers and their injury-plagued pitching staff could tell you.

The Cardinals' iron-man pitchers couldn't have revealed themselves at a better time. Although nearly all hope is lost for the team in 2025, they haven't had to rush pitchers up from the minor leagues to fill spots in the rotation. That's a good thing, because unlike the major league club, injuries have completely decimated some of the Cardinals' minor league rotations.

Minor league pitchers Tekoah Roby, Cooper Hjerpe and Sem Robberse all underwent Tommy John surgery this year, and Tink Hence and Zack Thompson have also hit the injured list for much or all of the season. On that front, the Cardinals are lucky that they have not had to dig into their wafer-thin depth on the farm.

One player whom the Cardinals will need to continue keeping a close eye on is Matthew Liberatore. The southpaw has enjoyed a breakout season but has lately seen his velocity drop as he gets deeper into games. It shouldn't be too much of a surprise since he has blown past his previous high of 86 innings in a season, throwing 122 frames as of August 19, but because the team has little to play for now, they may want to ease up on his innings. They could also shut him down in September, when rosters expand.

The Cardinals' ability to remain nearly completely healthy on the pitching side is due in part to good fortune, but strong bullpen management shouldn't fly under the radar. It's been a rough season performance-wise for many on the team, but in this area, the Cardinals have flourished.