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Cardinals Promote LHP Quinn Mathews

by St. Louis Cardinals and Mick Lite
written by St. Louis Cardinals and Mick Lite 0 comments
Feb 27, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Quinn Mathews (60) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that the team has selected the contract of rookie left-handed pitcher Quinn Mathews from Memphis (AAA) to make his Major League debut as the starting pitcher in today’s game against the Blue Jays. To make room for Mathews on the team’s roster the Cardinals optioned pitcher Matt Svanson to Memphis following last night’s game and have designated pitcher Tink Hence for assignment.

 

Mathews, 25, has spent the entire 2026 season at Memphis (AAA) where he has compiled a 5-3 mark with a 3.13 ERA in 19 starts (92.0 IP) with a Triple-A leading 111 strikeouts. His 3.13 ERA ranks 2nd among all Triple-A pitchers and his .170 opponent’s batting average against is the 2nd lowest among all full-season minor league pitchers.

 

The 6-4, 210-pound lefty will become the first Cardinals pitcher to make his Major League debut with a start in Canada since Rick Ankiel did so on August 23, 1999 at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium vs. the Expos. Mathews will become the 8th Cardinals rookie to make their debut this season and the 5th pitcher to do so.

 

Drafted by the Cardinals in the 4th round (122nd overall) in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Stanford University, Mathews in 2024 combined to strike out 202 batters in his first professional season, the first Cardinals minor leaguer since Ankiel (222 in 1998) to record 200 or more strikeouts in a season, and only the 10th Cardinals minor leaguer to ever do so.

 

Mathews’ 2024 season included stops at Palm Beach (A), Peoria (A+), Springfield (AA) and Memphis (AAA) as he combined on an 8-5 mark with a 2.76 ERA in 26 starts that earned him recognition as Minor League Baseball’s Pitcher of the Year.

 

The Aliso Viejo, Calif. native pitched four seasons (2020-24) for Stanford University and ranked 2nd among NCAA Division I pitchers in 2023 with 158 strikeouts behind LSU’s Paul Skenes (209). Mathews threw a 156-pitch complete game in the Stanford Super Regional against the University of Texas on June 11, 2023, striking out 16.

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Mick Lite is a versatile entrepreneur, photographer, and blogger with a huge passion for Music, Sports, Movies, Food, and Gaming. He has worked as an official scorer, social media manager, and photographer for various college, semi pro, and pro sports teams, including the River City Rascals, St. Louis Attack, Missouri Monsters, St. Charles Chill, SLU Billikens, Gateway Steam, St. Louis Riversharks, and Gateway Grizzlies. Served 12 years in the USN/USAF/USN.

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