The St. Louis Cardinals are heading into their final season with team president John Mozeliak leading the way. After the conclusion of last season, Mozeliak announced he would not be renewing his contract, which expires at the end of the 2025 season. During his tenure, Cardinals fans witnessed a World Series championship in 2011, six NL Central titles, and nine postseason appearances since he took over as general manager in 2008.
The Cardinals have already secured Mozeliak’s successor — Chaim Bloom. Bloom previously served as the chief baseball officer for the Boston Red Sox, though his tenure was marked by limited success. Notably, he traded Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and over four years, the Red Sox managed just one postseason appearance and no World Series titles. Bloom has a distinct approach, and it seems he’s already putting his stamp on the Cardinals.
On Sunday, the team announced that Matthew Liberatore had earned a spot in the starting rotation over Steven Matz. As a result, Matz will shift to the bullpen until April 16, when the Cardinals transition to a six-man rotation.
Cardinals Opening Day moves show Chaim Bloom era is upon us
Could this move be considered a “Bloom move”? During his tenure with the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox, Chaim Bloom often prioritized playing younger prospects or prospect-adjacent players, aiming to build for the future rather than focusing on immediate success. This approach mirrors the philosophy of the Rays, who frequently favored developing young talent over paying established veterans.
In contrast, John Mozeliak has typically leaned toward acquiring veteran players to contend right away. A prime example is last season when the team signed Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson to address their starting rotation needs and push for a postseason run. Although they had a rocky start, they remained in the NL Wild Card race by the trade deadline. However, they ultimately chose to sell at the deadline.
This offseason marked a shift in the organization’s philosophy, with Mozeliak openly acknowledging a rebuild and downplaying the importance of adding players through free agency.
Now, Matthew Liberatore will begin the season in the starting rotation. Last year, he primarily pitched out of the bullpen, appearing in 60 games (six starts) with a 4.40 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP, 76 strikeouts, and 28 walks over 86 innings. This spring, he continued to work mostly out of the bullpen (five of six games), posting an impressive 1.62 ERA, a 0.78 WHIP, and nine strikeouts over 16.2 innings.
Meanwhile, Steven Matz is expected to rejoin the rotation by April 16 but will start the season in the bullpen. In 12 appearances last season, Matz recorded a 5.08 ERA, a 1.44 WHIP, 33 strikeouts, and 15 walks over 44.1 innings before a back injury cut his season short. This spring, he posted a 2.29 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts in five starts (19.2 innings).
The season has yet to begin, but the Bloom era may already be unfolding before it officially starts.