The Cardinals announced that Aaron Wilkerson has signed a minor league deal, and the right-hander has been assigned to Triple-A Memphis. Wilkerson had been pitching in the Reds organization on another minors contract until earlier this week, as KPRC 2’s Ari Alexander reported that Wilkerson triggered an opt-out clause in that deal.
It has been almost six years since Wilkerson’s last big league appearance, as the righty posted a 6.88 ERA across 35 1/3 innings with the Brewers from 2017-19. Now 36 years old, Wilkerson’s career has seen consisted of a pair of trips abroad (pitching with NPB’s Hanshin Tigers in 2022 and with the KBO League’s Lotte Giants in 2023-24) and a few other stints in the minors with MLB organizations. Wilkerson has pitched with the Dodgers, Athletics, and Reds without any further calls to the Show.
This year, Wilkerson has a 4.17 ERA over 18 starts and 95 innings for Triple-A Louisville, with a modest 20.7% strikeout rate but an outstanding 4.5% walk rate. A .249 BABIP has undoubtedly contributed to Wilkerson’s success, and his 15% homer rate continues his trend of having some trouble keeping the ball in the park in both the upper minors and during his brief time as a Major Leaguer.
Wilkerson’s work in Louisville wasn’t enough to get him a look in Cincinnati, as the Reds have turned to a couple of top prospects (Chase Petty, Chase Burns) and more established starting options when having to fill holes in the rotation this year. The Cardinals’ rotational depth chart is also pretty crowded, yet the Wilkerson signing is intriguing within the context of the July 31 trade deadline. Since St. Louis could be looking to move Erick Fedde, Miles Mikolas, or long reliever Steven Matz, it behooves the Cards to have an experienced starting depth at Triple-A should a vacancy suddenly appear on the team’s pitching staff.
So your hot take is the Cardinals might have signed this bum so that he can replace whoever the Cardinals trade in a couple weeks?
Good gosh man. He hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2019.
If anything it’s to replace the guy who is promoted from AAA because they’ll need someone to pitch innings eventually, and resting young arms is smart.
Seems like the most Mo move of all low hanging fruit Mo moves. Can’t wait til Mo….gets to GO.
I love how people think that Bloom will be any different. It’s the ownership.
The ownership isn’t hesitant to make moves, just to add money. Mozeliak has decision paralysis and doesn’t even seem to know players on other teams. Bloom has shown he can work with both a high and a low payroll and has a good record of finding talent and building strong systems. Bloom could probably do with $160M in payroll what would take Mozeliak $220M.
Also what’s up with us picking up all these Reds castoffs? If they aren’t good enough to make the Reds……….
Michael Siani was a Reds castoff who performed better than expected for the Cardinals.
Too bad Kyle Gibson just retired.
Hilarious, the Cards feeding on the Reds’ scraps again
Everybody, maybe just simmer? Yeesh.
If a veteran guy runs out of options on another team’s minor league club, Cards can pick him up for peanuts and see if he maybe finds something. Sometimes a different coach or change of scenery makes a difference. Sometimes it works out.
And he’s not blocking anybody from moving up to Memphis this late in the season. No downside.
We’re all frustrated with the Cards, but moves like this aren’t the problem.
Way to go Mo!
If they trade away starting pitchers currently in the rotation and call up someone like McGreevy and others, they will need people to start and eat up innings in Memphis.. Hopefully they see Wilkerson as a cheap and available career minor leaguer who can fill that role if needed.
When are the Cards gonna wake up and walk away from Walker, we need a right handed threat in the line up, Walker came up from the minors hot , but then one of the supposed hitting coach’s , (Prior to Brown ) had th bright idea he needed to elevate the ball , and he has not been able to get back to that form. Time to clear a spot