At some point, the baseball gods have to look down at St. Louis and say, “Alright, that’s enough.” But until then, the Cardinals are left piecing together a rotation with duct tape and broken dreams. Just when they thought their pitching pipeline was turning a corner, reality reminded them it’s still under construction—with a few detours and a whole lot of caution tape.
This season could not get any worse for the Cardinals. As if their pitching wasn’t already bad enough in the majors, they can’t even support their major league team with the pitching because their prospects in the minors are not having any good days.
It was reported by Katie Woo of The Athletic that the Cardinals’ top prospect, Tekoah Roby, is out injured. She wrote, “#STLCards pitching prospect Tekoah Roby underwent Tommy John surgery on Friday and will likely not pitch until 2027, multiple sources tell The Athletic.”
#STLCards pitching prospect Tekoah Roby underwent Tommy John surgery on Friday and will likely not pitch until 2027, multiple sources tell The Athletic.
More here with @keithlaw: https://t.co/7KxgNrtmOP
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) July 28, 2025
Roby was on the cusp of breaking through, but his elbow had other plans. A once-promising season unraveled as Tommy John surgery silenced the Cardinals’ hopes until at least 2027. It’s a cruel twist for a pitcher acquired in the Montgomery-Stratton trade, meant to anchor the future. With elbow issues dating back to 2023, this latest blow feels more like inevitability than misfortune.
So when it rains in St. Louis, it doesn’t just pour—it throws a complete game shutout against hope. The Cardinals’ pitching crisis isn’t just a rough patch; it’s an organizational indictment dressed in red and saddled with an ERA north of reasonable. Losing Roby isn’t just bad timing—it’s a flashing neon sign that says “Help Not Coming.” At this rate, the only thing deeper than the rotation issues is the denial.
The post Cardinals Suffer Brutal Blow as 23YO Prospect Faces Nearly 2-Season Absence in Major Setback appeared first on EssentiallySports.
