Since landing on the injured list following his Cardinals debut on opening day, right-handed reliever Riley O’Brien’s work days have consisted of mainly two things.
“It’s just bullpens pretty much and playing catch,†said O’Brien, who has spent more than two months on the injured list with a forearm flexor strain.
The 29-year-old offseason trade acquisition had to sit through multiple weeks without throwing before getting cleaned to begin a progression near the end of April and feels he is “finally starting to see some good progression.â€
A positive step in his rehab came Tuesday in Springfield, Missouri.
O’Brien threw live batting practice to Cardinals minor league hitters at the home ballpark of the club’s Class AA affiliate. O’Brien said he threw around 15 to 20 pitches and faced five batters in his first game-like pitching session since he made his season debut March 28 at Dodger Stadium.
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The session could set him up for real-game action as he could potentially be sent on a rehab assignment as early as the end of this week.
It also provided him with a sense of normalcy after two months of waiting.
“I wasn’t thinking about my arm or anything,†he said Wednesday when he returned to the Cardinals clubhouse. “It just kind of felt like I was pitching. Thinking about more of stuff and command.â€
After he was dealt to ºüÀêÊÓƵ from Seattle in exchange for cash last November, O’Brien claimed an opening day bullpen spot after he posted a 0.90 ERA in 10 innings during spring training.
A glimpse of the promise of what he could provide from the Cardinals bullpen showed in his lone outing before landing on the injured list. Facing the top of the star-studded Dodgers order, O’Brien allowed one run on one hit and two walks while striking out two batters, one of which came against Shohei Ohtani.
The wait to return to action has been a “frustrating†one for the righty but also a calculated one.
“It’s been tough, but I just thinking long term, it’s better to be patient and really clean this up and make sure it doesn’t come back and try to rush it and have it keep coming back and aggravating it,†he said.
It’s brought on short work days at Busch Stadium when the Cardinals are on the road and challenges in trying to stay sharp for his return.
“Just being in the clubhouse before the game,†O’Brien said. “Being out there for the game, too. I try to just almost visualize myself pitching out there and all these situations. I try to just stay as mentally prepared as I can.â€
Matz to increase rehab workload
Left-hander Steven Matz came out of his Tuesday rehab start with Class AA Springfield feeling “good†and will increase his pitch count to 50 to 55 pitches in his next outing, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Wednesday.
In his second outing since landing on the injured list in early May with a lower back strain, Matz completed 1⅔ innings and allowed five runs on three hits. All five runs were unearned and came across in the second inning. The lefty threw 35 pitches — 23 of which were strikes — and was responsible for a fielding error and a throwing error in the five-run frame.
When Matz will make his next rehab start was not announced on Wednesday.
Contreras, Edman continue taking swings
Rehabbing starters Willson Contreras and Tommy Edman continued to take swings on Wednesday after the two both took steps forward in their respective progressions on Tuesday.
Conteras (fractured left arm), progressed to taking soft toss on Tuesday and continued to take swings at the same intensity on Wednesday.
After taking on-field batting practice with his teammates for the first time, Edman (right wrist) took left-handed batting practice, per Marmol. Before Wednesday, Edman had not taken left-handed batting practice swings since undergoing offseason surgery.
Skenes on Busch Stadium debut
As he walked off the mound following his first start at Busch Stadium, Pirates rookie Paul Skenes’ frustrations with how his scoreless outing ended against the Cardinals momentarily blocked out the scene around him.
“I’ll be honest: I didn’t really notice it in the moment,†Skenes said Tuesday after he received a standing ovation from the announced attendance crowd of 34,278. “I was just kind of pissed because I gave up a hit, to be honest. But I got a text about (the ovation), and looking back, I realize what happened. It was cool. They’re cool fans.â€
The former first overall pick from the 2023 MLB draft kept ºüÀêÊÓƵ to five hits, no walks and struck out eight across 6â…“ scoreless innings. Skenes’ inning total and 103 pitches set career highs through his first six starts as a big leaguer.
The 22-year-old Fullerton, California, native matched ºüÀêÊÓƵ starter Miles Mikolas frame for frame as the two logged scoreless starts before Skenes departed with one out in the seventh. Mikolas was removed at the start of the eighth after carrying a no-hit bid through six innings.
“It was cool to watch, cool to see that matchup,†Skenes told reporters including the Post-Dispatch’s Brandon Haynes. “Those are cool games, especially a night game.â€
Extra bases
Although discussions are ongoing, right-hander Andre Pallante will “most likely†start Saturday when the Cardinals face the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The start would be Pallante’s third as the Cardinals’ fifth starter — a spot that has since been vacant with Matz injured.
Right-hander Giovanny Gallegos rejoined the Cardinals on Tuesday after he completed 1â…“ innings of relief in a rehab outing with Double-A Springfield. The next step in his rehab for a right shoulder injury was not immediately clear Wednesday.