Zack Thompson DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Zack Thompson (lat) suffered a Grade 1 lat strain and will be shut down from pitching for at least three-to-four weeks. The 27-year-old was viewed as a candidate to open the season in the rotation but could now open the campaign on the injured list. Last season, Thompson logged just 17 innings in the majors and held a high 9.53 ERA with a 1.88 WHIP. He tallied 20 punchouts but served up walks at a high 9.6 percent rate. At Triple-A, the southpaw logged 90 innings to the tune of a 4.40 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. He struck out 108 batters but served up a hefty 58 free passes. However, this was a strong improvement compared to the 8.65 ERA he held at the Triple-A level during the 2023 season. With Thompson sidelined, this could open the door for Michael McGreevy or Matthew Liberatore to contend for a spot in the starting rotation.

With right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring) opening the year on the injured list, St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Zack Thompson will make the team out of camp and will start in the rotation. Fellow left-hander Matthew Liberatore will also make the Opening Day roster and pitch out of the bullpen. Thompson looked good in Grapefruit League action this spring, sporting a 2.81 ERA in 16 innings pitched, but with Gray expected to miss the minimum time on the IL to begin the year, the 26-year-old southpaw will only have a few starts in St. Louis' rotation. Thompson bounced around between starting and relieving roles in the majors and minors in 2023 and ended up posting an unimpressive 4.48 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with 25 walks and 72 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings over 25 outings (nine starts) for the Red Birds at the major-league level.