RADIO
Is Riley O'Brien Losing His Hold on the Closer Role in St. Louis?
St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Riley O'Brien has emerged as his team's primary closer with a strong start to the 2026 season. Across 19 innings, O'Brien has pitched to a 2.84 ERA and 0.95 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and 11 saves. However, the 31-year-old has run into a bit of a rough patch of late, as he's allowed six earned runs and blown two saves over his last 5 2/3 innings pitched. Even with the recent struggles, O'Brien's ridiculously dominant 29.3% K-BB rate indicates that the downturn is likely a momentary blip. Still, O'Brien does not have a long track record as a closer, which could lead to him being on a shorter leash in the role. Fantasy managers should remain positive on O'Brien's season-long outlook, but his next few appearances are worth monitoring.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
