Mar 26, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O’Brien (61) reacts as he walks off the field after striking out Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (not pictured) during the seventh inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Riley O’Brien gave up a hit and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday to record his seventh save of the season in a 5-3 win over the Marlins.

O’Brien has three wins and two holds in his 13 appearances, but he’s absolutely locked in full control of the closer job for the Cardinals with his dominant start to 2026, posting a 0.00 ERA, 0.45 WHIP and 15:0 K:BB over 13.1 innings.

He broke out last year as a member of the Cardinals and logged a 2.06 ERA across 42 appearances for the organization. Beforehand, he had only made 10 total appearances in the majors with the Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners and the Cardinals.

His seven saves (on eight opportunities) are tied for second behind only Mason Miller.

In a season full of surprises for the St. Louis Cardinals, O’Brien has been one of the biggest surprises of all.