Postcard from Cardinals spring training camp for Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Result: Nicaragua 2, Cardinals 1
Weather: Partly cloudy, 80 degrees
By Rob Rains
JUPITER, Fla. – Both Matthew Liberatore and Richard Fitts have pitched long enough to know that one of the keys to being successful is learning how to compete on days when they do not have their best stuff.
Both of them got a chance to work on that on Wednesday.
Liberatore, projected to be the Cardinals’ opening day starter, breezed through the first three innings of an exhibition game against the World Baseball Classic team from Nicaragua before giving up a two-run homer in the fourth.
Fitts, competing for a spot in the rotation, worked the final three innings in a piggyback role because of the team’s day off on Tuesday. He allowed four hits but managed to keep Nicaragua from scoring.
“After my first or second inning I told Dusty (Blake) it feels like I am working really hard out there, trying to compete, which felt great,” Fitts said. “Having guys on base isn’t necessarily what I want but having to work out of that is something I am going to have to do in-season.
“I didn’t think my stuff was very good today. It’s learning how to compete when your body isn’t feeling as good. The positive is three zeros. It didn’t look pretty but I got it done.”
Liberatore had basically the same opinion about his outing, knowing he has three more starts left in the spring before opening day.
“I felt like all my punchouts were right down the middle and all the hits I gave up were on the black. Baseball,” Liberatore said. “I thought I did a good job of competing with what I had.”
The Cardinals appear to be heading toward opening the season with a six-man rotation, and manager Oli Marmol likes the way Liberatore, Fitts and the other starters have performed to this point of the spring.
“It’s exactly what I would have anticipated to this point, which is good,” Marmol said. “I’m very happy with it.”
Here is how Wednesday’s game broke down:
High: Ivan Herrera went 2-of-2 at the plate, catching four innings.
Low: Chase Davis struck out in all three of his at-bats.
At the plate: The only two Cardinals in the lineup who likely will be on the opening day roster were Herrera and Nathan Church. Herrera singled in each of his two at-bats and also stole a base. Church was 0-of-2 with a walk … Andy Yerzy’s home run produced the Cardinals’ only run … Joshua Baez was 2-of-3 and also stole a base … The team was a combined 0-of-10 with runners in scoring position.
On the mound: Liberatore allowed two singles and struck out four in his first three innings, then gave up a single, home run and double in the fourth … Fitts allowed a pair of singles in his first inning but then got a strikeout and groundout to end the inning. He allowed two more singles in his second inning before a pair of strikeouts got him out of the jam … JoJo Romero and Ryan Stanek each worked a scoreless inning.
Worth noting: None of the Nicaragua baserunners attempted to run on Herrera … Many of the Cardinals regulars used the day as a work day on the back fields. Victor Scott II was one of them, working on bunting.
Up next: The Cardinals will be on the west coast of Florida for the next two days, playing the Pirates on Thursday in Bradenton and the Orioles on Friday in Sarasota. Dustin May will make his Cardinals debut in Thursday’s game.
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