Both the Reds and Cardinals have announced that St. Louis has claimed outfielder Michael Siani off of Cincinnati’s waiver waire. Siani was designated for assignment earlier this week, as part of the 40-man roster maneuvering necessary when the Reds claimed Hunter Renfroe and Harrison Bader off waivers. The Cards also announced that Guillermo Zuniga has been moved from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL, thus ending Zuniga’s season.
A fourth-round pick for the Reds in the 2018 draft, Siani is a veteran of 12 big league games — nine in 2022 and three for this year’s team, with four hits over 25 total plate appearances. Siani is known for both his outstanding defense and speed, as he has stolen 155 bases in 200 total attempts in the minors while also showing excellent glovework in center field. With a .228/.344/.355 slash line over 2167 PA in the minors, offense is still a work in progress for the 24-year-old, even if his other tools project him as at least a bench option at the MLB level.
While it isn’t a surprise to see another team claim Siani away, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat (X link) notes that it is a bit of a curious pickup for the Cardinals in particular, given that St. Louis already has several outfielders on the 40-man roster or on the cusp of the majors. Of course, a team isn’t just going to pass on a player it thinks has promise, and the Cardinals might clear some space anyway in the outfield this winter. The team is widely expected to try and trade some of its current outfield mix, likely in search of some badly needed reinforcements for the starting rotation.
Zuniga was first placed on the IL on August 25, and since he is suffering from a right forearm strain, it already looked like he probably wasn’t going to make it back before the end of the 2023 campaign. The only hope is that the 60-day IL placement isn’t a precursor to a more serious injury like UCL or elbow damage resulting in surgery, as such a procedure could potentially shelve Zuniga for just about all of the 2024 season. Zuniga made his MLB debut this season, appearing in two games for St. Louis prior to his forearm strain.
But why?
I kid you not I was about to say the exact same thing
Now they are worried about catching the ball?
The only thing I can figure out is possibly package him with another player (maybe O’Neil) to make the offer more attractive in the off season???
I believe Siani will still have 2 minor league options after this season, so if nothing else he can be an optionable depth piece.
Nope.
Nah. You’re wrong.
May want to check yourself. Just saying.
TON and the new guy?? Who are you trying to get, Brett Cecil?
I like Palacios, and Hudson has pitched well enough to earn his spot this year, and a chance next year. But you’re completely right about the rest of them.
You can’t say completely useless. Palacios can catch a fly ball. And right after we add Gomez as an afterthought throw-in on the future Glasnow deal, he will thrive in Tampa’s next playoff run.
Would’ve been better off claiming Bader
I agree
To have and pay for the rest of this year only? Why???
Not going to find the fix on the farm either w that 22 ranked system. Especially by comparison to the rest of the division who’s all in the top 5. Could a dark age be on the horizon for the cards ?
I’m not going to defend the Cardinals minor league system. But system rankings in general, are indicative of nothing. The Braves and Astros systems are never highly ranked, but every time they need a player, they dip into their system and one magically appears. The ranking are based mostly on draft pedigree. And that draft pedigree is created mostly by the same guys who do the system rankings. The whole arrangement is self serving. It would be like allowing politicians to set their own approval rating.
The smart people of Nottingham know pharma and big finance can police themselves. There’s certainly no need for oversight.
The dark age offical started when John Mozeliak traded Away Arozarena and sold Adolis Garcia for 30 pieces of silver…
Like double Babe Ruth territory… was lucky it didn’t start with Alcantara and Gallen… whoops…
Curse of the black pearl? How many pieces of Aztec Gold came with Arenado? Got scientists clamoring if they should rename pyrite from fools gold to Goldschmidt? Who can blame them?
The dark age started when Oscar Taveras died and the Cardinals were forced to make the move they wouldn’t have needed to to replace him and trade away both Sandy Alcantara and Zac Gallen. Everything else has been dominos since and they haven’t fully recovered from that loss.
This is an extremely lazy analysis that essentially just says “everyone on the 40 who isn’t on the 26 is useless”. Some of these players have value even if none of them are stars.
I know you smiled when you posted that. “Nailed it”
Weird stuff yall
Depth piece for 2024. Gonna be a LOT of outfielders leaving St. louis this offeseason.
If Siani is fast, plays solid defense, and most importantly, has a history where he has not been on the IL for a sore back, or other types of injuries, then he is the kind of player that I want to be in the Cardinals system. There has been so much mention that the Cardinals have to add pitchers, which is true, but they also need to rid themselves of some of their injury prone players and replace them with players who can play an entire season without trips to the IL.
Marmol blows another one. His genius is on full display all season long.
I totally agree.
The tickets are paid for and advertising revenue is already banked, get over yourself and don’t be so naive to think you’ll make a difference…after a decade like Pittsburgh sure, but one season, please grow the hell up.
I totally agree. Marmol is clueless on how to use the bullpen. His moves almost never work out.
I thought we had too many outfielders , so why go pick up another, great pick up MO ! Marmol is a clueless idiot , but he’s not going anywhere , he’s Mo’s Muppet and does what he is told to do. There were a few players on the waiver wire we could have picked up but did not , same as last fall and again at the trade deadline.. Mo and Marmol and Blake , the new three stooges.