MiLB Today

#STLCards — Daniel Eagen takes over on the mound for Springfield in the Texas League playoffs. And here’s an interesting wrinkle: Eagen was activated for tonight’s game only about 90 minutes before first pitch. This is some serious strikeout power coming out of the bullpen. Eagen finished the 2026 regular season with 157 strikeouts in 122 innings, leading the Texas League in strikeouts while averaging 11.6 K/9. Since joining Springfield in the August trade that sent Lars Nootbaar to Arizona, Eagen made six starts for the Cardinals, striking out 48 batters in just 34.2 innings while posting a 0.98 WHIP. Liam Doyle gave Springfield a strong start tonight. Now the Cardinals turn to another one of the Texas League’s premier swing-and-miss arms — a pitcher who wasn’t even officially on the active roster until roughly 90 minutes before game time. It’s playoff baseball. Every roster move matters.

Today’s #STLCards Minor League Starters The Cardinals’ minor league pitching slate is short today, but it has some real weight to it. At Triple-A Memphis, Mason Molina gets the start at Nashville. Molina enters at 4-2 with a 4.71 ERA, which shows the adjustment at Triple-A has begun to settle after a rough first stretch with Memphis. Molina had already shown earlier this season why the Cardinals pushed him up the ladder, and now the focus is on finishing strong against upper-level hitters. For Molina, this is about command, efficiency, and continuing to prove he can handle older, more experienced lineups. Triple-A is a tough classroom. Mistakes get punished quickly. But left-handed pitching depth matters, and Molina remains one of the arms worth tracking closely in the upper levels of the system. The headline start, though, is in Double-A. Liam Doyle gets the ball for Springfield tonight at Tulsa in Game 2 of the Texas League Semifinals. Springfield leads the best-of-three series 1-0, which means the Cardinals have a chance to punch their ticket to the next round with a win tonight. And Doyle is exactly the kind of arm you want watching in a game like this. He enters at 7-7 with a 3.76 ERA, but the full-season number does not tell the whole story. Doyle has been one of the best pitching stories in the Cardinals’ system in the second half. The strikeouts have been there. The swing-and-miss has been there. The run prevention has been much sharper. This is not just another prospect start. This is a postseason start. And those matter. The Cardinals need to know which arms can handle pressure, execute in bigger moments, and take the baseball when the game carries a little more edge. Springfield has been one of the best stories in the entire organization this season. The lineup has thunder, the roster has future big-league talent, and now Doyle gets the chance to help move them one step closer to another Texas League championship run. Tonight’s watch list is simple: Mason Molina looks to finish strong at Triple-A Memphis. Liam Doyle gets the spotlight in a playoff game for Springfield. Circle Doyle tonight.