The Cardinals have designated veteran reliever Luke Gregerson for assignment, per a club announcement. Fellow right-hander Dominic Leone was optioned down to create another active roster spot.
Those moves will clear the way for two other hurlers. The club has activated righty Carlos Martinez, who was expected to be brought back in a relief capacity this weekend after opening the year on the injured list due to shoulder issues. It has also called up righty Ryan Helsley.
Gregerson, who recently turned 35, is one of several recent free-agent bullpen additions that hasn’t worked out for the Cards. He has allowed 7.36 earned runs per nine in his 18 1/3 innings with the club since the start of 2018, a disappointing turn for a long-excellent hurler.
Injuries have taken a toll, with Gregerson’s stuff suffering. Since returning this year after undergoing knee surgery in 2018, he has shown a notable velocity decline and managed only a 4.8% swinging-strike rate — less than a third his career average of 15.0%.
The Cards will eat the remainder of the money owed to Gregerson, including the balance of his $5MM salary this season and a $1MM buyout. The deal included a club/vesting option for 2020.
Leone has also been a frustrating piece for the Cards since coming over via trade in advance of the ’18 campaign. He’s carrying 11.4 K/9 in the early going but has also dished out 4.6 free passes and surrendered 2.1 home runs per nine innings. Through 21 1/3 frames, Leone has been tagged for 19 earned runs.
The Cardinals will continue to pay Leon’s $1.26MM salary. He only just tallied enough MLB service to push into the 4+ service class, so the timing of his (hopeful) return to the majors won’t impact his arb status. But it certainly will play a significant role in what he can command via arbitration and whether he’s tendered a contract this fall.
I mean, yea, he’s been really bad for a minute but a 2.93 FIP…..
He could go off with a change of scenery.
Like a Golf course?
means a whole lot in 6 whole innings
This is one of those times where it’s important to realize FIP is a math equation and to understand what that math is behind it. And see why the number is completely irrelevant in this case.
FIP = ((13*HR)+(3*(BB+HBP))-(2*K))/IP + constant
Gregerson has given up 11 hits in 5 innings. However, none of those hits have been Homeruns and he’s only walked one. But he has given up a 51.4% hard contact rate and has only generated a 4.3% swinging strike rate. BTW xFIP and SIERA have him in the high 4’s. Now look this is just a 5 inning sample size so draw whatever conclusions you want from that. It’s extremely small.
But hopefully from seeing this less guys will just quote someone’s FIP to prove his worth if there are a bunch of poor underlying indicators there as well. I genuinely believe a number of people who quote it don’t even know the formula.
Phillies2017 I saw that. Check out the K/9 and Hits/9 though. It’s like they’re squaring up anything he puts over the plate.
He was looking better than I had seen him in a long time, but still he got knocked around last night. He might help another team. Cards probably hope someone will want him and take some of that 5 mil off the books.
Nobody will trade for Gregerson. That’s the only way the Cards don’t pay him. He will clear and become a FA. Then at that time, that team only pays him the pro rated league minimum. John Mozeliak is the most over rated GM/VP/President/insert any title here in MLB.
Nats will give him a shot with that dumpster fire that’s raging out of control right now. It will be hard for Gregerson to fail there.
Calling MO overrated is utterly laughable. Not every deal works out. It happens. But you being a total dramatic blowhard doesn’t help anything
Bump
Come on home Luke,
Balsley is waiting to make some tweaks and get him right.
Padres acquire and DFA Kinsler.
DFA Stock or Maton. They have too many AAAA relievers.
You wanna DFA Stock? No way, Dude throws gas, he will right the ship, patience is a virtue.
Come back to SD Luke!
Yeah hopefully Maton goes, I’m so over seeing his lifeless demeanor out there just get shelled every time he comes in.
option the president of baseball, mo.
Mozalik and Girsch need to be accountable. Three of the Cards five starters have not pitched an entire season in 3 years (Wainwright, Wacha and Martinez). The above 3 starters had an ERA above 4. The bullpen besides Hicks, is average.
The above landscape existed for the past 3 years. Message to the Cards…Kimbell and Keuchel. Or maybe it’s time for Mozalik to step down?
Plain and simple there was no more room for Gregerson on the roster. 1. He hasn’t been healthy the last year or so. 2. Why keep a declining vet pitcher when you have young studs in the minors ready for the majors? No reason too. Mo know what he’s doing. True Cardinals fans know that you have to be patient when it comes to building up your major league roster with young players. Y’all talk now, but in 2 to 3 years, John Mozeliak (3 time executive of the year) will have the last laugh.
yup, I love terrible armchair GM’s that scream for accountability. Forgot that only the cardinals have had unsuccessful vet signings, doesn’t affect anyone else in the league