ST. LOUIS — The irony of the Cardinals decision to use left-hander Matthew Liberatore as a spot starter on Sunday was that they needed the converted reliever more than ever in the bullpen on Sunday, a day when they were already shorthanded without three of their top relievers because of previous usage.
Though they were hesitant to move Liberatore out of a relief role where he has found a home, the talented lefty pitched well over a 3 2/3-inning stretch to open the game. However, on this day, the issue for the seemingly snake-bitten Cardinals was their bullpen, where seldom-used relievers Giovanny Gallegos and John King were hit hard. A four-run seventh and more offensive struggles from the Cardinals’ languishing offense paved the way for a 5-1 loss to the White Sox and a series defeat against an eight-win Chicago club.
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore delivers a pitch to the Chicago White Sox in the third inning at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Sunday, May 5, 2024. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI