Welcome to another edition of the St. Louis Cardinals’ Standouts of the Week! The Cardinals played .500 baseball, going 2-2 on the week. The week saw long balls, rainouts, double headers, and a memorable major league debut. Let’s see who stood out this week for the Redbirds.
Cardinals’ Standouts of the Week:
Standout #3- Gordon Graceffo
Graceffo has an under-the-radar week, which makes sense as he is having an under-the-radar season. The 26-year-old made three appearances out of the bullpen, giving up no runs while allowing just one hit and one walk. Furthermore, in each appearance, he entered the game with runners on base, making the fact that he did not allow a run even more impressive.
When the Cardinals drafted Graceffo, they had hoped he would factor into their future pitching rotation. He has been serviceable as a starter in the minor leagues, posting a 27-21 record alongside a 3.93 ERA, but has been a valuable arm out of the bullpen for the Cardinals. While the Cardinals may eventually view Graceffo as an option for the rotation, they should value his effectiveness in the bullpen right now. The Cardinals are exceeding expectations this season, and if they want to continue doing so, they will need to rely on effective arms like Graceffo.
For Graceffo, he has primarily been a bullpen arm since getting called up in 2024. While he has struggled at times, he is pitching well now, which will only earn him more opportunities moving forward.
Standout #2- Ivan Herrera
These Cardinals’ standouts lists have already featured Herrera, but he continues to earn recognition. Herrera had another productive week. He recorded six hits, two home runs, and five RBI. His biggest hit of the week came on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the tenth inning, Herrera hit a three-run, walk-off home run to give the Cardinals the victory in a high-scoring affair. He hit another one on Thursday. On Saturday, Herrera drove in another run, doing so on a rare triple.
Behind the plate, Herrera got two starts and looked good in both. The Cardinals alternated the catcher’s position this week, giving the start to Herrera, then starting him as the designated hitter, then putting him behind the plate again. It is hard to tell whether that was an intentional trend, as the team had to deal with a doubleheader this week. Herrera was scheduled to be the DH for Sunday’s game, which was rained out, which would have broken the trend.
Regardless of the intent, Herrera is continuing to get his looks at catcher. More importantly, he is continuing to look comfortable in the role.
Standout #1- Bryan Torres
This when these Cardinals’ standouts articles get truly fun to write. Our top spot this week belongs to someone whose perserverance paid and hard work paid off.
At 28 years old, Torres is finally getting to play in the major leagues. He was called up after Nathan Church was placed on the injured list and made his first start in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. After walking in his first at bat and recording an out in the second, Torres picked up his first hit in his third at bat. However, he was not done there. In the ninth inning, Torres hit his first career home run, a two-run shot, in front of family watching at the Great American Ballpark. Torres played in the second game of the doubleheader, recording another hit.
Who’s cutting onions? 🥹
Bryan Torres’ family traveled from Puerto Rico for his debut and shared a special moment with him after the game! pic.twitter.com/XbToLBOjJT
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 23, 2026
Torres more than deserves the top spot on this Cardinals’ standouts list. It took time for him to get to this point, but he is officially a big leaguer. In just two games, he is already making an impact in the lineup. Fans should expect to see Torres in the lineup for the time being. We can only help him continue to make the most of his long-awaited big-league debut.
The Week Ahead
The Cardinals are wrapping up what has been a busy month of May. They will spend Memorial Day in Wisconsin, playing the Milwaukee Brewers in a three-game series. The team then returns home, where they will face an old foe: the Chicago Cubs.
Be sure to tune in next Sunday to see who the next Cardinals’ standouts are! Check in with Last Word On Baseball throughout the week for more Cardinals’ and league-wide content!
Main Photo: Aaron Doster- Imagn Images
