Quinn Mathews Named MiLB Pitcher of the Week
The Cardinal Chronicle
Quinn Mathews Named Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Week
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur
Quinn Mathews is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Week after delivering seven dominant innings for the Memphis Redbirds.
The left-hander worked 7.0 innings, allowed only three hits, gave up one unearned run, walked three and struck out 10. He did not allow a home run, finished the week with a 0.00 ERA, and posted a 0.86 WHIP.
That is a winning line at any level. At Triple-A, it carries even more weight.
Mathews has long been one of the more important pitching prospects in the Cardinals’ system, and this outing showed why. The swing-and-miss was there, the scoreboard was quiet, and he gave Memphis seven full innings while keeping the game in his control.
The three walks kept the outing from being spotless, but they did not keep it from being dominant. Mathews allowed just three hits and punched out 10, showing the kind of bat-missing ability that separates a good start from a weekly award winner.
A close second this week was High-A Peoria right-hander Yhoiker Fajardo, who turned in a terrific outing of his own. Fajardo worked 4.2 scoreless innings, allowed only one hit, walked none and struck out eight, finishing with a 0.00 ERA and a microscopic 0.21 WHIP.
In many weeks, Fajardo’s line would have taken the honor.
This week, Mathews gets the edge because of the workload and level. Seven innings with 10 strikeouts at Triple-A is the kind of performance that stands above the rest. The Cardinals need upper-level pitching to continue pushing toward St. Louis, and Mathews gave them a strong reminder that his name belongs in that conversation.
The Cardinal Chronicle’s Pitcher of the Week honor goes to the arm that delivered the best full performance, and Mathews earned it.
The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Pitcher of the Week:
Quinn Mathews, LHP, Triple-A Memphis
Weekly Line:
7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K, 0 HR, 0.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP
Why He Was Chosen:
Mathews delivered seven innings of dominant Triple-A baseball, allowing no earned runs while striking out 10. His combination of length, strikeouts and run prevention made him the top pitching performer of the week.
Close Second:
Yhoiker Fajardo, RHP, High-A Peoria — Fajardo made this a real decision after working 4.2 scoreless innings with one hit allowed, no walks and eight strikeouts. His 0.21 WHIP was outstanding, but Mathews’ seven innings and 10 strikeouts at Triple-A gave him the edge.
Old School Take:
There is still something special about a pitcher giving you seven strong innings. The game has changed, and bullpens carry more of the load now, but when a starter works deep, misses bats and keeps earned runs off the board, that is still the standard.
The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
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Photo Credit: Quinn Mathews, Memphis Redbirds | MiLB