Matt Pushard
RP · Cardinals
B-
F
—
Fan Verdict
Grade this player:
Career StatsB-
| Year | Team | GP | ERA | W-L | K | WHIP | IP | SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 3 | 8.1 | 0-0 | 4 | 1.8000001 | 0.0 | 0 |
Performance Analysis
B-
FCA+
Production at RP earns Matt Pushard a B- performance grade in the current MLB sample. He operates as a solid depth reliever whose recent mechanics and competitive moments—notably escaping a bases-loaded jam in the ninth—demonstrate the late-inning competitiveness required for a functional bullpen piece, placing him in the mid-tier range for role players at his position. His tenure has been hamstrung by organizational instability rather than catastrophic statistical collapse; the Cardinals' repeated roster cycling and aggressive bullpen reinforcements since late April signal a front office that views him as fungible depth rather than a building block. The Rule 5 draft origin compounds the perception challenge: he entered St. Louis as a developmental gamble, and that skeptical framing has only hardened as the organization has continued to test his security with each reinforcement signing. Heading into late September with the Cardinals fighting for positioning in the Central, Pushard faces a narrow path to consistent playing time unless he strings together sustained performances that force organizational confidence to shift—right now, the prevailing narrative is one of "running out of time" rather than a player in ascent.
Fan & Media Sentiment
F
Very Negative
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Matt Pushard draws an F sentiment grade as the Cardinals narrative reflects his precarious roster status. The dominant storyline centers on organizational instability—the Cardinals have cut ties with him repeatedly despite periodic bright spots, establishing a "running out of time" media frame that positions him as a fringe candidate rather than a building block. His Rule 5 draft origin compounds this perception; he's consistently been viewed as a developmental gamble rather than a proven commodity, and that skepticism has only hardened over time. Recent roster moves—the Cardinals have aggressively reinforced the bullpen and infield through May, signing relievers and outfielders while cycling Pushard in and out—signal clearly where the organization's confidence lies, and that messaging has filtered directly into coverage. Even an isolated strong performance escaping a bases-loaded jam in the ninth hasn't moved the needle on perception; the prevailing sense is that Pushard faces a narrow path back to stability and needs a dominant spring to reset the narrative heading into 2026. The sentiment floor appears locked in until he demonstrates sustained competence on the field and the organization stops treating him as interchangeable depth.
Recent Games
| Date | OPP | Result | AB | H | R | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, 5/20 | vs PIT | L 0-7 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
| Sun, 5/17 | vs KC | L 0-2 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
Transaction History
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About this player
Matt Pushard is a player on the Cardinals roster listed at RP for the Cardinals. FanVerdicts maintains four independent grades for every MLB player on an active roster — Contract Value Index for the deal itself, Performance for on-field production, Sentiment for media and fan reaction, and Fan Verdict for community voting. Current grades for Matt Pushard: Contract Value Index pending, Performance B-, Sentiment F, Fan Verdict pending.
Every grade refreshes on its own cadence as new data lands. Performance recalculates when MLB game stats post; Sentiment updates with new media coverage and fan discussion; Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change; Fan Verdict reflects live community voting on this profile. Contract details for this player are pending; the Contract Value Index grade activates once official terms are reported.
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