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Not only did it fill a void by giving them a homegrown right-handed starting pitcher capable of being a mainstay in the rotation for multiple years, but it also bolstered the confidence of the Cardinals 鈥減itching department鈥� and fueled the organization鈥檚 confidence they could continue to develop starting pitching at the big league level.

Pallante didn鈥檛 just fill a need in the Cardinals pitching corps 鈥� he served as proof of concept and paved the way for what the club has done by committing to Matthew Liberatore as a starter this season.

As Pallante, 26, approaches the one-year anniversary of joining the major league rotation and altering his career trajectory after two previous seasons primarily as a reliever, he speaks about his yearlong journey with perspective as well as passion to keep climbing.

鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy to think that a year ago 鈥� I鈥檝e made 30 starts in a row,鈥� Pallante said after Wednesday鈥檚 series-ending loss to the Detroit Tigers at Busch Stadium. 鈥淚 know that at 32, I鈥檓 going to kind of look back and be like: That鈥檚 a full season as a starter in a row. I hadn鈥檛 done that before in the big leagues.

鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely one of those things where I鈥檓 proud of where I鈥檓 at and what I鈥檓 doing right now, but I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e been the best version of myself yet. I think there鈥檚 still more to get at. I think I鈥檓 starting to make those improvements.鈥�

Pallante allowed three runs on four hits and a season-high four walks in 5 2/3 innings against a Tigers club that entered the series with the best record in MLB and with an offense ranked among the best in runs per game (fourth), batting average (fifth), slugging percentage (fifth), OPS (fifth) and on-base percentage (sixth).

Pallante (4-3) gave up two of his four hits in the second inning as well as a sacrifice fly that drove in the game鈥檚 first run.

In the fourth inning, he gave up a run on an RBI double to right-center field on a fly ball that Jordan Walker got a late jump on off the bat and then missed by inches as he leapt near the wall. That drove in the second run and extended the inning by seven pitches, but Pallante stranded the runner in scoring position.

In the fifth, after a leadoff single, a walk and a fly ball to deep center, Pallante faced a situation with runners on second and third and just one out after center fielder Victor Scott II made a throw to third base that allowed the trail runner to advance into scoring position. Pallante responded with a broken-bat groundout and a flyout to end the inning as he stranded those two runners in scoring position.

Pallante, who had his highest average fastball velocity of the season (97.4 mph), entered the day not having walked a batter in his previous two starts. However, he walked one in the fifth and two in the sixth. None of the pitches on the walks in the sixth were particularly close to being called strikes, and those walks kept him from making his third consecutive start of at least seven innings.

The third run Pallante allowed scored after he鈥檇 turned the game over to veteran reliever Phil Maton.

鈥淚 put the team in a tough position with first and second, one out,鈥� Pallante said. 鈥淲e ended up keeping the game relatively close. It would鈥檝e been nice to take a series off those guys, but it鈥檚 a long year. We鈥檒l keep getting after them.鈥�

Since joining the rotation on May 26, 2024, in Cincinnati, Pallante had the most wins (12) and lowest ERA (3.73) of any Cardinals starter in his previous 29 starts prior to Wednesday.

Even the fact that he has regularly pitched deep into games this season serves as a sign of his vast improvement in the past year. He鈥檚 gone six innings or more in six of his 10 starts this season.

Last season, manager Oliver Marmol and pitching coach Dusty Blake used a quick hook with Pallante when he initially joined the rotation.

Pallante had to earn the confidence of the staff and prove he could get right-handed batters out consistently enough to warrant pitching late into tight games.

A year removed from that, Pallante admitted he wasn鈥檛 sure then he鈥檇 ever take that step forward. He pointed to a dreadful start on the road against the Houston Astros last season, when he allowed six runs on six hits in three innings as a stinging memory.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 get any righty out,鈥� Pallante said. 鈥淭hey had a full right-handed lineup, and I pitched like absolute garbage against them. I was like: I might never be able to do it. I really thought that.鈥�

By the end of last season, Pallante faced 103 batters for the third time in a game, and he held them to a slash line of .149/.282/.241 in those plate appearances. That鈥檚 better than the first or second time through the order.

Entering Wednesday鈥檚 start, his numbers this season also improved the third time facing a lineup compared to the first or second time through.

In some ways, he鈥檚 now a poster child for what runway can do for a player.

鈥淭hey just kept giving me opportunity,鈥� Pallante said. 鈥淭hings kind of went my way in terms of the injury history of other starters. Stuff like that kept giving me opportunities.

鈥淭he coaches worked with me. My teammates worked with me, helped me make those improvements to get where I鈥檓 at now. Like I said, I still think there鈥檚 better in there. I think there鈥檚 more in there for me.鈥�