Cardinals expand pitching coverage with Dobbins, while Urías’ elbow rehab hits another snag

St. Louis’ starting plans are shifting in a hurry. According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, right-hander Hunter Dobbins is slated to serve as a traditional starter in his next appearance, after the Cardinals used him in a bulk-relief role in two outings since recalling him from Triple-A.

That workload management matters more than usual for the Cardinals right now. Goold also reported that St. Louis will adopt a six-man rotation for the time being, an approach designed to stretch rest days and innings limits while the club pushes through a heavy stretch. MLB Trade Rumors connected the move to schedule pressure, noting that the Cardinals have an off day before a run of 32 games in 34 days beginning June 9 and continuing toward the All-Star break.

Dobbins’ readiness for the stretch has already been tested in relief. MLB Trade Rumors reported that he allowed one earned run in 3 2/3 innings on May 31, then followed with five scoreless innings in another appearance, earning a win behind Kyle Leahy. The same report framed the temporary rotation change as a way to ease Dobbins’ workload while he continues building back from last year’s right ACL reconstruction.

The Cardinals’ pitching depth, at least on paper, has allowed them to consider a non-standard rotation without immediately sacrificing a whole turn through the rotation. MLB Trade Rumors pointed to a surprisingly healthy group of starters in 2026, with multiple pitchers reaching at least 12 starts, and described Dustin May, Matthew Liberatore, Michael McGreevy, Andre Pallante, and Kyle Leahy as having been in the mix. Still, it cautioned that May’s injury history includes major issues in prior seasons, which is one reason a six-man structure could become useful if anything flares during the June surge.

St. Louis’ timing is also shaped by the standings. On Sunday, June 7, the Cardinals were 34-28 and sitting in second place in the NL Central, 5.0 games behind the Brewers, and they held the top spot in the NL Wild Card group on a playoff-standings basis.

While pitching is getting a tactical reset, another development is complicating the infield picture. MLB Trade Rumors reported that Ramón Urías, who has been rehabbing, is now dealing with a left elbow issue that is similar to his earlier right-elbow lateral epicondylitis. The outlet also noted that Urías landed on the injured list on May 5 and that a similar injury pattern could mean a longer recovery than first expected.

When Urías does return, St. Louis appears prepared to use him more as roster insurance than as an everyday starter. MLB Trade Rumors said he would factor in as a backup infielder, with José Fermín in the mix but more often seeing work in left field, and with Bryan Torres framed as someone who could potentially be optioned if roster juggling is needed. In the short term, though, the Cardinals will have to keep assembling lineups without a fully functional Urías, even as they try to stabilize their rotation during the busiest part of the first half.