Cardinals' 4.13 ERA All-Star closer has turned into a big disappointment
The Cardinals' closer has gone from a breakout star to a concerning bullpen option.
St. Louis Cardinals, who entered the 2026 season with low expectations, have become a competitive team thanks to the breakout performances of Jordan Walker and JJ Wetherholt. However, their postseason hopes are slim as they face challenges with their relievers, with closer Riley O'Brien emerging as the biggest disappointment according to ESPN's Bradford Doolittle.
O'Brien, who made the NL All-Star team, has been underwhelming in the second half of the season, posting a 4.13 ERA and a bWAR that puts him at replacement level. His performance has been inconsistent, with a 5.40 ERA and four blown saves since the All-Star break. Despite his potential to be an elite closer, O'Brien's inconsistency and command issues make him unreliable at the moment.
The Cardinals may have believed they found their closer of the future, but O'Brien's second-half production raises doubts about his ability to be a reliable closer heading into the 2026 MLB season.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
