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Although his first outing on a major league mound since last September lasted just two pitches and one batter, Cardinals reliever Riley O’Brien came away with a moment he feels he can build upon.

Promoted from Class AAA Memphis on Friday, O’Brien was summoned from the bullpen Saturday when the Cardinals led 5-3 with two outs in the seventh inning and while a runner stood on first base as Brewers catcher William Contreras was due up to bat. O’Brien, 30, threw two pitches to the two-time All-Star and got him to pop up on a 98.3 mph sinker thrown high and inside to end an inning Steven Matz started.

“It’s a good hitter. I don’t want to call it a big situation, but it was a close situation with the game-tying run at the plate,� O’Brien said Sunday. “It just gives me more confidence that I’m able to pitch in those situations and feel as good as I did.�

The right-hander was one of three Cardinals relievers who combined to protect a two-run lead in a 6-5 Cardinals win at Busch Stadium that ended in walk-off fashion after closer Ryan Helsley blew his second save opportunity of the season. The effort notched O’Brien the first hold of his big league career in a spot Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said he was “trusted� to be in after showing his swing-and-miss capabilities in Memphis.

“Hopefully he could do exactly that — build confidence,� Marmol said Sunday ahead of his club’s series finale against the Brewers. “He was trusted in that situation, and he came out of it, keeping the score. You’ve got a good hitter in the box but a heavy sinker and slider. It’s tough to hit a homer off of.�

A year ago, O’Brien left spring training with a spot in the Cardinals’ opening day bullpen. He logged an inning on opening day that season but went on the injured list two days later and did not come off it until the second week of August.

O’Brien’s bid to break camp with a big league roster spot this past spring training was hampered by an elbow injury that paused his spring near the end of February. He returned to Grapefruit League games by the middle of March before being optioned to minor league camp, where health was a focus for him.

On Friday, Marmol pointed to O’Brien’s swing-and-miss results in Class AAA as the quality that made O’Brien their preferred option to fill a bullpen role in the majors, as Ryan Fernandez was sent to Class AAA amid his struggles.

“He’s got elite stuff. It’s just a matter of the consistency of trusting it and taking the ball,� Marmol said Sunday.

While with Memphis, O’Brien struck out 14 of the 30 batters he faced and walked three. He flashed a sinker that averaged 97.7 mph, a slider that touched 91.4 mph and a curveball that kept opposing hitters to a .100 batting average and led to a swing-and-miss rate of 43.8%, per Statcast.

“It definitely felt like the stuff was elite down there,� O’Brien said. “I was getting some uncomfortable swings and uncomfortable at-bats. Just taking all of that in and being able to use that up here, I think it’s helped make the transition a little easier.�

Keeping Helsley sharp

The appearance Saturday for Helsley was his third in four days after he did not appear in five consecutive games. Marmol said the Cardinals’ stretch across April, which has included a five-game losing streak in their New York-Atlanta road trip, has proven tricky to get Helsley regular innings while keeping him available in his role as a closer.

“I think that’s part of it, but there’s not a real way around it because there’s going to be a time, it happens all year, where he’s going to be gasping for air because we’re using him a lot, right?� Marmol said. “That’s just been April.

“It’s hard to get around it because you use him on a day that may not make sense, but to keep him sharp, and then he pitches Game 1 against Milwaukee, and then he’s not available for yesterday. It’s like you’re caught in between. It’s just hard.�

Before Saturday, Helsley completed a save Friday vs. the Brewers and pitched on Wednesday night in Atlanta against the Braves as a way to get work in with his club up six runs. The blown save Saturday was his first blown save at Busch Stadium since May 17, 2023. The two-time All-Star reliever had successfully converted 35 consecutive save attempts at home before allowing a two-run homer to Jackson Chourio.

Extra bases

Matz is expected to start Wednesday for the Cardinals in Cincinnati against the Reds. Matz, who has pitched seven games from the bullpen and started once, owns a 1.80 ERA through 20 innings.

• Ivan Herrera (left knee inflammation) is set to remain in St. Louis to continue his running progression as he nears a rehab assignment. Marmol said Herrera, who began running the bases this weekend, has made positive strides and could begin a rehab stint as early as Thursday.
• Cardinals top prospect JJ Wetherholt returned to the lineup for Class AA Springfield (Missouri) on Sunday with a start as the minor league affiliate’s designated hitter. Wetherholt had been absent from games since his early exit on April 18 because of flu-like symptoms.