Cardinals righty Jordan Hicks tells reporters, including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, that he is going on the injured list with a forearm strain. Shortly after Hicks made that reveal, the club announced a batch of roster moves, with catcher Yadier Molina being activated from the bereavement list. Righties Kodi Whitley and Jake Woodford were recalled. To make room for those three on the active roster, Hicks was placed on the IL, while righty Junior Fernandez and catcher Ivan Herrera were optioned to Triple-A.
Any injury to a pitcher’s throwing arm can be a cause for concern, with the terminology of “forearm strain” often being particularly frightening as it can be a precursor to Tommy John surgery. However, the details coming from the club suggest that they aren’t pressing any alarm buttons just yet. Hicks tells reporters, including Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, that it feels minor compared to his previous injuries, categorizing it as normal soreness that occurs for starting pitchers between outings. (Hicks underwent Tommy John in 2019.) He doesn’t seem to be anticipating a lengthy absence, as he tells Jones that he expects to be back this season, either as a starter or a reliever, depending on the team’s situation in the long run.
Due to injuries to Jack Flaherty and Alex Reyes, the Cardinals had a rotation need to begin the year and decided to transition Hicks from reliever to starter, stretching him out as the season went along. The results haven’t been eye-popping so far, with the fireballer currently sporting a 5.02 ERA over 28 2/3 innings, along with a 23% strikeout rate, 15.9% walk rate and 55.6% grounder rate.
Flaherty and Reyes are both still on the IL and were recently joined by Steven Matz. Prospect Matthew Liberatore has been called up and seems to have taken over a spot in the rotation for now, alongside Adam Wainwright, Dakota Hudson and Miles Mikolas. That still leaves them shorthanded, and the Cards are playing 12 games in the next 11 days thanks to a June 4 doubleheader. Packy Naughton has already been with the big league club this year and could be recalled to help out. Angel Rondon had a good outing for the club earlier this week but was optioned the next day, May 23. Pitchers must stay in the minors for 15 days after being optioned, unless replacing a player going on the IL or if they are acting as the 27th man for a doubleheader. Woodford, recalled today, has made two Triple-A starts this year, though logging only three innings in each of them.
Ruh roh
Look out a “batch” of moves, a new term to baseball
“arrange (things) in sets or groups:”
It’s a Canadian thing.
…..Rastrro. Tralfaz YUCK!!!
Predictably. Hopefully this closes the books on Hicks as a starter. I don’t wish an injury on anyone, but this experiment was heading toward an awkward conclusion. Unfortunately, VerHagen and Wittgren haven’t inspired a lot of confidence as viable alternatives. Maybe Naughton. More likely Jake Woodford gets his shot.
Unfortunately for him, he has had injury issues working out of the pen as well. This does not look good for his future no matter where he tries to work out of.
Yeah, anyone who has even casually watched his career knew this would happen if they brought him back as a starter. The dude could be lethal out of the pen if he’d just accept it and give it a chance. If not, he is gonna fizzle out and replaced with someone who will do whatever it takes to help the club.
I agree with you guys. Why they put him in a SP role….it seemed like a recipe for disaster, especially with his velo. He’s not SP material at 102MPH, particularly since he had inconsistency issues as well.
Anyway, he’s an outstanding arm to have, but any time I see strain, sprain, whatever other term they want to insert – skip straight to TJS, it’s happening. I know they have to wait for the MRIs first.
I truly wish him the best possible outcome. Good luck, Hicks.
He’s got diabetes, which greatly affects his ability to recover between outings in addition to coming off his TJS later than expected for the same reason. That makes it hard for him to be used repeatedly out of the bullpen and get up to warm multiple times and not get used. This was the most feasible way to get potentially useful innings out of him, but they never even designated a piggy back guy with pair up with him, despite plenty of viable options, including Woodford. It would be fine if he could go four decent IP and then Woodford and maybe 1 other pitcher finish the game out and keep the rest of the bullpen from getting burnt. I was honestly never really impressed with his stuff because he has 0 idea where it was going. For 103 mph with that movement, he gives up an absurd amount of hard contact.
Makes sense he looked hurt against the jays
You can remove a man from bereavement but you cannot remove bereavement from the man!
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
I assume that’s for the Cards starting Hicks?
Why would you waste Gallegos in this game? Gorman isn’t ready. He’s a K machine.
You even fangraphs bro? He’s 22 and has got an .812 OPS in a whopping 20 PAs. If he maintained his current league average 25% K rate for a career mark he’ll be a perennial all star for several years at 2B with average-ish defense. Oh yeah and a 15% BB rate. He’s a top 30 prospect and was killing it at AAA. What more would you want out of him so far?
I agree his future is bright, but he isn’t there yet. Watch the games instead of small sample stats. Pitchers have figured him out already. He needs to be more selective and lay off the high fastballs. Bro.
“Ignore all the numbers in a small sample, but also my same sample size-based opinion is superior to yours.” . You’re not abiding by your own parameters. Your eyeball test isn’t supported in the slightest by the numbers so far. He could obviously go either way and if he goes 2-4 tomorrow he’d have something like a .900 OPS. This is a conversation to revisit at like the ASB, but he’s better than whatever alternatives we have at this point and his upside is basically perennial all star, so no time better than the present to let him figure things out with regular playing time.
They need to add strategies on how to take care of a pitcher’s arm into “The Cardinal Way”. Way too many dudes flame out in this organization.
I would like to see another organization keep Hicks healthy.
Another Organization probably could. I agree with Ham. St. Louis just can’t keep pitchers from injury.
It’s not just the Cardinals. Pitchers do this everywhere. The Tigers have 9 pitchers, including 6 starters, on the IL right now.
Who would of thought a guy throwing max effort every pitch who throws a 102 would get hurt. Let’s go back to the first time he blew out and check. Betcha someone smart could have predicted this.
Stl playing “celebration” after the Woodruff injury. Stay classy stl.
Trade him while he still has value!!!
Flaherty—-trade him while he still has value.
Libertore— trade him while he still has some value.
Carlson—trade him while he still has some value.
O’Neal— trade him while he still has value.
OR
Get NEW PITCHING & HITTING COACHES!!!!
When hicks recovers he needs to go down to AAA and build his strength or go to the Bullpen as a LR. The move from closer to starter reminds me of Kyle Mclellen in 2011 the guy was never right after.