Cardinals Option Fitts to Memphis

The Cardinal Chronicle
Rotation Picture Sharpens as Cardinals Option Fitts to Memphis
St. Louis, MO — By Ray Mileur

The Cardinals took another step toward finalizing their Opening Day roster on Wednesday, optioning right-hander Richard Fitts to Triple-A Memphis. And with that move, the picture of the starting rotation has come into clearer focus.

Fitts entered camp as a legitimate contender for one of the final spots in the rotation after being acquired from Boston over the winter. But in the end, performance — not projection — told the story.

Kyle Leahy and Andre Pallante have done enough this spring to win those final two rotation spots, edging out Fitts in what became one of the more quietly competitive battles in camp.

Fitts’ numbers weren’t without promise. Across three Grapefruit League starts, he posted a solid 9:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio, showing the ability to command the zone. But the results didn’t fully match the peripherals. He allowed six earned runs on nine hits over 9.1 innings — an uneven body of work that left the door open for others to step through.

And Leahy and Pallante did just that.

Both pitchers brought a steadier presence to the mound this spring — limiting damage, throwing strikes, and, just as importantly, giving the Cardinals a sense of reliability as the club prepares to break camp.

From an old-school baseball standpoint, this decision makes sense. When it comes to filling out the back end of a rotation, managers tend to favor consistency over flashes. It’s not always about who has the highest ceiling — it’s about who gives you the best chance to win every fifth day right now.

That doesn’t mean Fitts is out of the picture.

Far from it.

At Memphis, he’ll have the opportunity to continue refining his command and translating his raw stuff into consistent results. And given how quickly pitching depth can be tested over a long season, it’s more a matter of when — not if — he’ll factor into the Cardinals’ plans in 2026.

For now, though, the message from Jupiter is clear:

The Cardinals are leaning on dependability as they shape their rotation — and Leahy and Pallante have earned that trust.

Photo Credit - Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

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