The St. Louis Cardinals have been very inconsistent this season. They have shown flashes of brilliance and have even hung around in the playoff race for most of the season. Only now at the end of August have the Cardinals lost their grip in the standings.
But they have now lost five consecutive games and sit six games back in the National League wild card race, so their chances at snapping their three-year postseason drought are slim. On Wednesday, they overcame a 7-0 deficit, only to fall 8-7 after another rough outing by Riley O’Brien.
The All-Star closer gave up six runs on Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies and took the loss. He suffered another loss on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles. However, manager Oli Marmol isn’t overly concerned about O’Brien’s struggles, and gave his closer a vote of confidence after Wednesday’s loss.
“He’s had a couple of tough outings,” Marmol said. “Previous to that he had a hell of a lot of good ones. This is part of being a closer, part of learning to be a closer. You learn how to do hard things by doing hard things. Right now, this isn’t easy for him. Guess what? You put your head down and you plow through it. He’ll be fine.”
St. Louis Cardinals’ Skipper Not Worried About Riley O’Brien
O’Brien had a 2.94 ERA heading into Sunday’s game against the Phillies. After Wednesday’s loss to the Orioles, his ERA now sits at 4.02, and though he is still among the National League leaders in saves, he owns a 10.50 ERA in his last seven appearances.
Still, that’s not enough to deter Marmol from using him in high leverage spots. O’Brien has still been a bright spot for the Cardinals this year, even amid their second-half collapse. It’s important to remember that this team is still a few years away from being a true contender.
If St. Louis was a contender in 2026, perhaps Marmol would think about trying somebody else in the closer’s role. But because they are not, and options are limited, the best course of action is to stick with O’Brien.
If anything, it highlights exactly what the Cardinals need to do in the offseason before the potential lockout begins. The bullpen has been the team’s main achilles heel for most of 2026, and some more options wouldn’t hurt as the Cardinals look to take a step forward in 2027. O’Brien has been their biggest success story out of the bullpen.
St. Louis Cardinals Bullpen Needs Highlighted After Loss to Baltimore Orioles
At this point in the season, it’s too late for St. Louis to add any bullpen pieces. They are out of contention, and the trade deadline has passed. But there will be several relievers available in free agency.
More specifically, they’ll need a few more options at the closer spot. O’Brien is the only one they have that is capable of closing, but a little more depth at the back of the bullpen can’t hurt as the Cardinals learn from 2026 and focus on the future.
Cardinals’ Skipper Gives Riley O’Brien Vote of Confidence After Shaky Outing