Things seem to be going downhill for the St. Louis Cardinals as they turn towards the last month of regular-season baseball.
With a 68-70 record, the Cardinals haven’t been able to get back to .500 since mid-August and are five games back from the New York Mets for the last spot in the National League Wild Card race.
Not just this, but St. Louis could be without one of their most productive bullpen pitchers for an extended period of time.
Cardinals unsure if pitcher Riley O’Brien needs an IL stint
Injuries have been a constant issue for relief pitcher Riley O’Brien the last couple of years. In his first season with the Cardinals in 2024, the breakout bullpen guy couldn’t stay healthy while monitoring a right flexor strain. He only appeared in eight games because of the setback.
2025 has been the most productive season for O’Brien. He’s appeared in the most games ever, with 31, but the 30-year-old ran into another injury in recent days.
According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, O’Brien has discovered fatigue in his throwing shoulder. He’s set to get examined by a doctor and will get more answers on Monday. More answers will come in the coming days.
MORE: Cardinals place Alec Burleson, Yohel Pozo on injured list
The injury is unfortunate for O’Brien, who has put together the best season of his four-year major league career. In 2025, his numbers are impressive, including a 2-0 record with a 1.69 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts in 37.1 innings.
