That annual volatility that gets addressed at the trade deadline or with the late-season emergence of an unexpected or young late-inning answer has been replaced for the Cardinals this season by a bullpen that has remained sturdy despite the stress, a vision of availability and versatility.
For the second time in as many days, the top two setup men in the National League, right-hander Andrew Kittredge and lefty JoJo Romero, carved up the late, high-leverage innings to secure the Cardinals鈥 6-1 victory against Cincinnati on Thursday. When Romero entered in the eighth, the Cardinals were on their way toward a 98th game decided by three runs or fewer 鈥 their second within 24 hours. An expanded lead did not minimize Romero鈥檚 role.
He got the win Wednesday and got the save Thursday.
The Reds did not get a run off either Cardinals reliever.
鈥淭he group that we have down there has been really fun,鈥 Kittredge said earlier Thursday morning. 鈥淎nd there hasn鈥檛 been a ton of turnover in the bullpen 鈥 which is a bit unusual. But it鈥檚 also a testament to how good guys have been done there and consistent, too.鈥
The lack of turnover in the summer and how they鈥檝e maintained that strength into fall is something for the Cardinals to consider this winter.
The brightest and best part of the season spent loitering around .500 has been the bullpen and how the trio of Kittredge, Romero and rookie Ryan Fernandez covered innings and bridged leads to reach closer Ryan Helsley. The closer secured his 44th save of the season Wednesday night and could yet set the Cardinals鈥 single-season record by reaching 49.
Bullpens traditionally undergo makeovers every winter 鈥 churn is a defense against volatility 鈥 but the performance and makeup of the Cardinals鈥 current bullpen is worth holding together.
Kittredge is a free agent this winter, and at some point in the near future, the Cardinals expect to approach him to discuss a return.
Setup man Keynan Middleton missed the entire season with a forearm strain, and the Cardinals have a $6 million option on him for 2025. He would welcome a discussion about making his return from injury with the Cardinals.
Coming off a career year, Helsley has one year remaining before free agency. He has expressed an openness to talk extension before.
Romero and Fernandez are early in their careers with multiple years of control ahead. The same is true for John King and Matthew Liberatore, two lefties who have played prominent relief roles.
It is possible for the Cardinals to find relief in an encore.
The stage for it was set back in March.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we talked about in spring,鈥 manager Oliver Marmol said. 鈥淥utside of the ninth (inning), I felt like our 鈥檖en had the versatility of pitching in any spot. From an ego standpoint, from a role standpoint, they were comfortable knowing you can use me in the sixth, seventh, eighth. Use me how you please. It鈥檚 given us the ability to really make it difficult on the opposition as far as not getting the matchup that they want.鈥
The series win against Cincinnati offered snapshots of how well that鈥檚 worked.
First, the availability.
The group that Masyn Winn called 鈥渁 three-headed monster鈥 were all available for the mid-September series. Helsley鈥檚 availability can be traced back to the decision in spring to keep him in the ninth. The addition of Kittredge meant fewer games Helsley would be asked to throw multiple innings or chase five outs instead of three.
From there, there were weeks throughout the season that Romero, Kittredge, or Fernandez were considered unavailable 鈥 and those weren鈥檛 always advertised publicly.
鈥淲e talked about it in June, right?鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淵ou have to take care of guys there in the middle in order to have them do what they鈥檙e doing now in the back end. They鈥檙e in a position where they feel fresh, so you鈥檙e able to do what we did (Thursday).鈥
Said Kittredge: 鈥淭here have been times this year where I鈥檝e been used a lot, and then they鈥檙e very aware of that. I don鈥檛 feel like I鈥檝e been put in harm鈥檚 way. It inevitably happens every year where somebody has to do something that they probably shouldn鈥檛 or go into a game they should not be pitching because they need rest. That鈥檚 the nature of the game. That鈥檚 going to happen. This year, it hasn鈥檛.鈥
And it鈥檚 not for lack of need.
The Cardinals have the highest number of wins decided by three or fewer runs (55), and they have the smallest average margin of victory in the majors (2.69).
Second, the versatility.
The Cardinals have relied on a three-man weave for those close games, but it鈥檚 not always the same order for Romero, Fernandez and Kittredge. And it鈥檚 not always a single inning.
Before the game, pitching coaches Dusty Blake and Julio Rangel will go through scouting reports and 鈥渓anes鈥 set with Marmol. The manager described it Thursday as looking a seven-batter section of a lineup and determining the best matchups for Kittredge and Romero. They don鈥檛 have to start with a clean inning. They don鈥檛 have to finish with the end of an inning.
Their assignments interlock.
In Wednesday鈥檚 win, Kittredge entered with one out in the seventh and delivered the same score to Romero for the eighth. On Thursday, Kittredge had a six-batter assignment, and if he did not get six outs, Romero was ready to finish the eighth with a matchup against Reds switch-hitter Elly De La Cruz. When the Cardinals added two runs in the bottom of the inning, Romero finished the game to collect earn his first save of the season.
They are the only two relievers in the NL with at least 30 holds, as Kittredge sits at 33 and Romero at 30.
The bullpen pitched 11 scoreless innings against the Reds in three games and struck out twice as many batters as Cardinals relievers allowed base runners, 10 to five. It did not earn a hold, save or win, but few innings were as pivotal as Kittredge鈥檚 on Wednesday to bridge the seventh and eighth to get a tie game to Romero and the late innings. All according to plan.
鈥淲e complement each other,鈥 Romero said. 鈥淕ood one-two punch.鈥
鈥淎nd then we take a lead,鈥 Kittredge said, 鈥渁nd give it to Hels.鈥
Fedde for Friday
The Cardinals will open their weekend visit to Toronto with Erick Fedde starting Friday and continuing his run of matchups against American League teams.
Acquired by the Cardinals at the trade deadline from the White Sox, Fedde will make his fourth consecutive start against an AL club. The Cardinals are 1-2 in those starts, and Fedde has lost four consecutive decisions.
He鈥檚 1-5 with a 4.30 ERA in five starts for the Cardinals.
Marmol confirmed Fedde鈥檚 start but declined to announce the rest of the rotation for the three-game series in Toronto. With seven starters now on the active roster, the Cardinals are considering added rest or other adjustments, and they鈥檙e also discussing when Miles Mikolas will next start given some recent struggles.
Extra bases
Willson Contreras (fractured finger) will be evaluated Monday, and he may be able to resume some baseball-related activities that day depending on how well he鈥檚 healed. He was originally prescribed three weeks of inactivity. Monday is the earliest he and the club will know how possible a return to play is for this season.
- It is possible that the Cardinals will become the third team in MLB history with three catchers making at least 50 starts apiece, according to Elias Sports research: Contreras started 50 before his injury, and Pedro Pages (49) and Ivan Herrera (47) are closing in.
- Reds outfielder Will Benson bruised the middle finger on his left hand, and X-rays taken of the finger at Busch Stadium did not reveal a break. Benson injured the hand in the sixth inning when he attempted to bunt against Sonny Gray and his fingers were mashed by the pitch as they gripped his bat鈥檚 barrel.
- The Cincinnati Reds are the first opponent to lose 100 games at Busch Stadium III.