The Struggle of a Reliever Turned Starter: Maintaining Velocity Down the Stretch
As the regular season comes to a close, one player’s performance has been a cause for concern. The reliever turned starter, known for his impressive velocity on the mound, has been struggling to maintain it in recent games.
Throughout the season, this player has been a key asset to his team’s bullpen, consistently throwing fastballs in the upper 90s. However, as he transitioned into a starting role, his velocity has noticeably decreased.
This drop in velocity has not gone unnoticed by fans and analysts alike. Many are questioning if the added workload of starting has taken a toll on his arm, causing him to lose some of his power.
Despite his struggles, the player remains determined to finish the season strong and help his team secure a playoff spot. He has been working closely with the team’s pitching coach to make adjustments and regain his velocity.
While it may be a challenging adjustment, the reliever turned starter is determined to prove himself and show that he can excel in both roles. As the team heads into the final stretch of the season, all eyes will be on this player to see if he can overcome this hurdle and help lead his team to victory.
Liberatore’s Pitching Woes Continue as Cardinals Fall to Rockies in 3-0 Loss
Through three innings, Matthew Liberatore was perfect. But a two-run homer that traveled a Statcast-projected 442 feet—the longest at Busch Stadium in 2025—derailed his start as the St. Louis Cardinals fell to the Colorado Rockies, 3-0, on Tuesday night.
“It was great until it wasn’t,” Liberatore said, per MLB.com’s John Denton. This quote perfectly sums up the left-hander’s recent struggles on the mound.
After transitioning from reliever to starter in Spring Training, Liberatore had a solid 3.70 ERA through 17 starts. However, in his last five starts, he has carried a 5.95 ERA and has failed to pitch more than 4.1 innings in each outing.
One possible reason for Liberatore’s slump could be a dip in velocity. According to Denton, his pitches lost speed in the fourth inning when three consecutive Rockies reached base. His four-seam fastball reached a maximum of 95.4 MPH on Tuesday but fell to as low as 91.7, per Baseball Savant.
“I felt awesome through the first three innings, and then [velocity] dropped again and guys started taking better swings,” Liberatore said. “The way I was rolling through the first three innings, I felt like I could have thrown the whole game. I feel bad that I keep putting it on the bullpen and they keep having to come in and pick me up, and they’ve done a fantastic job of that. But that’s not who I want to be.”
Liberatore was pulled after allowing the first two batters in the fifth to reach, with one of them scoring. He was charged with all three runs in the game.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol and pitching coach Dusty Blake gave Liberatore time off during the All-Star break and a week afterward, but his velocity is still a work in progress. This puts his starting role in jeopardy.
“I don’t know if there’s anything I’ve ever wanted to do more than be a big league starter,” he said. “So, I don’t know if I could want [to be a reliever] anymore.”
