The Cubs have claimed reliever Shawn Armstrong from the Cardinals, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN (X link). St. Louis had designated the righty for assignment on Tuesday.
Armstrong’s DFA ended a brief run in St. Louis. The Cards acquired him from the Rays at the trade deadline in a swap sending former top prospect Dylan Carlson to Tampa Bay. Armstrong pitched well in St. Louis, running a 12:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio while allowing only four runs in 12 2/3 innings. That was quite a bit better than the 5.40 earned run average he’d posted across 46 2/3 frames with Tampa Bay earlier in the year.
While Armstrong held up his end of the bargain, the Cardinals have had a tough month. They’ve dropped six games back of the last Wild Card spot. The front office has conceded the unlikelihood of a playoff run by waiving Armstrong and Tommy Pham, the two impending free agents they’d acquired at the deadline. Doing so allows them to offload what remains of Armstrong’s $2.05MM arbitration salary; they’d save the prorated portion of Pham’s $3MM deal if another team were to claim him.
The Cardinals lose Armstrong to their rivals, who are only one game closer to a postseason spot. Chicago enters play on Friday five games back of the Braves in the Wild Card mix. As with St. Louis, they’re long shots to get to the playoffs. The Cubs are riding a three-game win streak and kicking off a stretch of winnable games against the Nationals and Pirates. The front office isn’t completely throwing in the towel, adding to a bullpen that has pitched well over the past six weeks.
At 68-66, the Cubs had a higher waiver priority than any team that currently occupies a playoff spot (plus the Mariners, Red Sox and Mets). They’ll assume roughly $330K in salary commitments, plus another $66K in estimated luxury tax payments, to plug Armstrong into the bullpen for the season’s final month. Assuming the claim is officially processed tomorrow, he’d be eligible for Chicago’s playoff roster if they made a furious push to snag a spot.
Lolol
Armstrong is Craig Counsells former Brewer pitcher. It cost the Cubs a Taylor Swift candle to get him loll
Armstrong never played for the Brewers.
Shawn Armstrong has never been with the Brewers organization…
Cubs getting Cardinal rejects
We still feel guilty about them falling for the Fowler hype and getting bamboozled into that dumb Contreras contract, maybe they thought it was the other brother
Armstrong solid. Good one Jed. Come on cubs quit bsing now. 1 month left
The Cubs dug themselves too deep of a hole to climb theirselves out of I’m afraid. If only PCA, Amaya and Swanson produced offensively a little the first 60% of the season.
Amaya, Swanson, and Hoerner have been huge disappointments this season. Amaya less so as he has never established himself as a MLB player that can hit. But the talent and expectations were there for Miguel to produce.
It is nice to see Amaya and PCA settling in. Gives me hope for ‘25.
Well I don’t see them as huge disappointments. I see it as great experience in basically their 1st and 2nd seasons. Like I’ve been telling people for awhile now the only for the kids to learn is at the MLB level. This League can’t compare to AAA. It’s a whole different perspective. I’ve long wondered how they can give Amaya and PCA a lot of rope and yank the feet out from under Mervis to the point of trading for another guy is coaching. Or rather the lack of listening to the coaches. Mervis must have done something to P*ss somebody off to the point where he is an afterthought. It’s all I can come up with. Looking forward to having watched Hendricks last start of the year as either Wicks or Killian should be one of the 9/1 call ups because they don’t need a bullpen guy. Maybe even release him. And bring up Wicks AND Killian. Wonder who the hitter will be. Caissie or Ballesteros. Ballesteros is a horrible C but might be nice to have his bat AND an emergency C, Even a bad one. Waiting til Sunday.
Wicks scratched from rehab start so can start Sunday. Hendricks done but will hang around. Maybe a last start after elimination from playoffs. He should retire. Don’t worry about Killian. He will be hurt again soon. Would like to see Cassie. Borass will have his man opt out. Hopefully the budget will allow a DH that can mash for 2025. Mervis did not adjust to major league hitting in two try outs. Might end up being Frank the tank without the great half season. Mervis is a great candidate for China or Korea.
Tallion is already pitching Sunday. Assad tomorrow. Then probably Steele Monday night. Won’t need either of them until Tuesday at the earliest.
Taillon has stunk in the second half.
Huh?
Since the 2024 All-Star Game, Jameson Taillon has been performing quite well for the Chicago Cubs. Here are some of his key stats:
Win-Loss Record: 4-2
ERA: 3.25
Strikeouts: 45
Innings Pitched: 54
Not sure what games your watching. have you been watching the White Sox by mistake? LMAO
He’s getting hit hard with a lot of right at-em balls. He’s benefited from the offense’s recent surge and gotten W’s because of that, not his pitching. The last 5 starts he’s fooled no one. If you watched those games you’ve seen it.
So has Imanaga. he suck too?
He was pretty good with his short stint with my Cardinals.Good luck Cubbies
Shawn we hardly knew ye. Good luck in Chicago except when your playing the Cardinals.
The Cardinals and Cubs will not play each other again until 2025. By Spring training 2025, who knows where Armstrong will be.
Doesn’t really matter what Cubs do now. It’s September tomorrow. As Al Hrabosky has said many times . What Cubs stand for :
Completely
Useless
By
September
Meh. September Schlepptember. Tonight they gonna party like it’s nineteen ninety August
Typical Cardinals fan. Doesn’t even know there are 31 days in August. Cards- Can’t Actually Read Dumb S**t.
Bonus extra day to be useful
Cubs plan to stretch him out to be a starter. Stretch Armstrong. Batteries not included
I heard he’s got a strong arm.
Doesn’t make much sense. Too far behind Braves or Mets. He’s a free agent for 25.
Grabbing any arm they can. There is OBVIOUSLY something wrong with Lopez. Once pitched once since the 15th and that was now a week ago.
Don’t even see him warming up at all.
Right after the Neris release he looked like he was going to be the closer and he can’t be found.
That led to Hodge (a pretty good option) being worked day after day and even with an off day yesterday, he wasn’t available tonight.
Can only expand by one pitcher one Sunday—who is it going to be??