Liberatore's Struggles Mount | St. Louis Cardinals News

Matthew Liberatore’s rough season hit another snag as he surrendered his 24th and 25th homers of the year to the Pirates, sealing a 5-4 loss that marked his seventh straight defeat. Despite striking out nine and inducing swings and misses, his pitch location—too often in the middle of the plate—has turned him into a home run magnet, especially in August. With his ERA climbing and his future potentially in the bullpen, the Cardinals’ lefty is facing mounting pressure. The team’s offense couldn’t capitalize either, leaving runners stranded and failing to deliver when it mattered most. Meanwhile, Thomas Saggese got his first start at shortstop, while Alec Burleson reached a historic milestone with his 100th RBI—a rare feat for a Cardinals lefty. Liberatore’s slider remains his weapon, but unless he can command it better and avoid hittable pitches, especially behind in counts, his role may be up for grabs next season. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/5f20f48f39d2f92b