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Johan Oviedo

NL Central Notes: Reynolds, Pirates, Brewers, Cubs

By Nick Deeds | February 23, 2023 at 1:22pm CDT

Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said yesterday that he expects star Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds and club officials to resume discussions regarding a possible extension at some point soon. That Reynolds and the Pirates would resume talks is of little surprise. While the sides were around $50MM apart in previous discussions and Reynolds went as far as to request a trade back in December, since reporting to camp last week Reynolds has reiterated that he would still be interested in extending his stay in Pittsburgh, so long as a deal that’s fair for all parties is presented.

Whether Reynolds ultimately signs an extension with the Pirates or departs, either by trade or as a free agent following the 2025 season, he seems likely to find his payday somewhere. The 28-year-old outfielder has largely looked the part of an All Star-caliber player since his debut in 2019, barring the shortened 2020 campaign where Reynolds struggled thanks in large part to a deflated .231 BABIP and an anomalous uptick in strikeout rate. The 2021 season in particular was a stellar one for Reynolds, as he slashed .302/.390/.522 (good for a 141 wRC+) while playing strong defense in center field and accumulating 6.1 fWAR throughout a campaign that would ultimately see him garner down-ballot MVP votes. That could prove to be a ceiling, particularly if defensive metrics continue to sour on his glovework in center (as was the case in 2022), but the widespread trade interest in Reynolds and the Buccos’ own interest in extending him speak to the caliber of player he’s become in his four big league seasons.

More from around the NL Central…

  • Sticking with the Pirates, Mackey discussed right-hander Johan Oviedo’s role ahead of the coming season, indicating it’s likely he will begin the season as a member of the starting rotation in Pittsburgh. Following his arrival in the deal that sent lefty Jose Quintana to the Cardinals at the trade deadline last season, Oviedo made seven starts for the Pirates, pitching to a 3.23 ERA that was 30% better than league average by ERA+ in 30 2/3 innings of work. While the Pirates added both Rich Hill and Vince Velazquez over the offseason, both of who seem likely to join Mitch Keller, Roansy Contreras, and JT Brubaker in the rotation this year, Mackey notes that it’s possible that Pittsburgh will opt for a six man rotation to begin the year rather than bump Oviedo or Brubaker either to Triple-A or the bullpen.
  • Brewers left-hander Ethan Small is set to start the season in a relief role, manager Craig Counsell tells reporters, including Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Small, the club’s first round pick in the 2019 draft, has spent his whole career as a starter to this point, but is now being looked at as an option for the Opening Day bullpen due to Milwaukee’s depth in terms of starting options and the club’s lack of lefty bullpen options beyond Hoby Milner, particularly given the fact that Aaron Ashby is set to begin the season on the injured list. A move to relief could be helpful for Small, who faced struggles with his control last season. The lefty posted a 13% walk rate in Triple-A en route to a 4.48 ERA in 103 innings at that level while walking eight batters in his 6 1/3 big league innings during a brief MLB debut last year.
  • Cubs manager David Ross spoke to reporters yesterday, including MLB.com’s Matthew Ritchie, regarding youngster Christopher Morel’s role as he heads into what will be his second season in the majors. While Morel seemed to be a potential front-runner to start at third base for the Cubs this season, Ross seems more focused on Morel’s versatility, noting he could serve as a fourth outfielder for the club behind starters Ian Happ, Cody Bellinger, and Seiya Suzuki, or act as a utility player, combining his experience in the outfield with his ability to play every infield position besides first base. Chicago’s recent signing of third baseman Edwin Rios might factor into this thinking, as the lefty Rios has the potential to form an effective platoon with incumbent third baseman Patrick Wisdom, who mashed lefties to a line of .250/.336/.556 (147 wRC+) in 141 plate appearances against opposite-handed pitching last year.
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Chicago Cubs Milwaukee Brewers Notes Pittsburgh Pirates Bryan Reynolds Christopher Morel Ethan Small Johan Oviedo

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Every Team’s Initial September Call-Ups

By Steve Adams and Anthony Franco | September 1, 2022 at 10:59pm CDT

Each season as the calendar flips to September, we see a flurry of transactions around Major League Baseball. Active roster sizes jump from 26 to 28 for the season’s final month, with teams permitted to bring up no more than one additional pitcher. We’ve already covered a host of transactions with 40-man roster implications throughout the day at MLBTR. Here’s a full round-up of teams’ initial September roster moves.

American League West

Houston Astros:

  • Selected contract of RHP Hunter Brown
  • Selected contract of C Yainer Diaz
  • Corresponding moves: IF Niko Goodrum and RHP Peter Solomon designated for assignment

Los Angeles Angels:

  • Selected contract of OF Ryan Aguilar
  • Selected contract of RHP Zack Weiss
  • Corresponding moves: OF Steven Duggar and INF Jose Rojas designated for assignment

Oakland Athletics

  • Selected contract of LHP Ken Waldichuk from Triple-A Las vegas
  • Recalled OF Cody Thomas from Triple-A Las Vegas
  • Corresponding move: RHP David McKay designated for assignment

Seattle Mariners

  • Reinstated LHP Matthew Boyd from 60-day injured list
  • Recalled OF Taylor Trammell from Triple-A Tacoma
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Texas Rangers

  • Selected contract of RHP Jesus Tinoco from Triple-A Round Rock
  • Recalled OF Nick Solak from Triple-A Round Rock
  • Corresponding move: Transferred RHP Josh Sborz to 60-day injured list

American League Central

Chicago White Sox

  • Recalled OF Adam Haseley from Triple-A Charlotte
  • Recalled RHP Matt Foster from Triple-A Charlotte
  • Corresponding move: None required

Cleveland Guardians

  • Recalled SS Ernie Clement from Triple-A Columbus
  • Reinstated RHP Cody Morris from 60-day injured list
  • Corresponding move: Designated RHP Anthony Castro for assignment

Detroit Tigers

  • Recalled 1B Spencer Torkelson from Triple-A Toledo
  • Selected contract of INF Ryan Kreidler from Triple-A Toledo
  • Corresponding move: Transferred RHP Rony Garcia to 60-day injured list

Kansas City Royals

  • Selected contract of RHP Daniel Mengden from Triple-A Omaha
  • Recalled OF Nate Eaton from Triple-A Omaha
  • Corresponding move: None required

Minnesota Twins

  • Added LHP Austin Davis (previously claimed off waivers from Red Sox) to active roster
  • Selected contract of OF Billy Hamilton from Triple-A St. Paul
  • Corresponding move: Transferred OF Trevor Larnach to 60-day injured list

American League East

Baltimore Orioles

  • Selected contract of 1B Jesus Aguilar from Triple-A Norfolk
  • Recalled LHP DL Hall from Triple-A Norfolk
  • Corresponding move: Designated INF Richie Martin for assignment

Boston Red Sox

  • Recalled C Connor Wong from Triple-A Worcester
  • Selected contract of RHP Eduard Bazardo
  • Corresponding moves: None required

New York Yankees

  • Recalled SS Oswald Peraza from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
  • Activated INF Marwin Gonzalez from paternity list
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Tampa Bay Rays

  • Reinstated RHP Matt Wisler from the 15-day injured list
  • Recalled INF Jonathan Aranda from Triple-A Durham
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Toronto Blue Jays

  • Recalled RHP Casey Lawrence from Triple-A Buffalo
  • Added OF Bradley Zimmer (claimed off waivers from Phillies this week) to active roster
  • Corresponding moves: None required

National League West

Arizona Diamondbacks

  • Selected contract of IF Wilmer Difo from Triple-A Reno
  • Reinstated RHP Keynan Middleton and LHP Kyle Nelson from 15-day injured list
  • Corresponding move: Designated RHP Noe Ramirez for assignment

Colorado Rockies

  • Recalled INF Alan Trejo from Triple-A Albuquerque
  • Recalled RHP Chad Smith from Triple-A Albuquerque
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Los Angeles Dodgers

  • Reinstated LHP Clayton Kershaw from 15-day injured list
  • Recalled 3B Miguel Vargas from Triple-A Oklahoma City
  • Corresponding moves: None required

San Diego Padres

  • Recalled INF Matt Beaty from Triple-A El Paso
  • Recalled RHP Reiss Knehr from Triple-A El Paso
  • Corresponding moves: None required

San Francisco Giants

  • Selected contract of recently-acquired OF Lewis Brinson
  • Recalled IF David Villar from Triple-A Sacramento
  • Corresponding move: Outrighted LHP Jonathan Bermudez to Triple-A Sacramento

National League Central

Chicago Cubs

  • Selected contract of RHP Jeremiah Estrada from Triple-A Iowa
  • Recalled INF David Bote from Triple-A Iowa
  • Corresponding move: Transferred Wade Miley from 15-day injured list to 60-day injured list

Cincinnati Reds

  • Selected contract of 2B/3B Spencer Steer
  • Selected contract of RHP Fernando Cruz
  • Corresponding moves: Transferred INF Mike Moustakas and RHP Jeff Hoffman from 10-day injured list to 60-day injured list

Milwaukee Brewers

  • Recalled RHP Luis Perdomo from Triple-A Nashville
  • Recalled OF Esteury Ruiz from Triple-A Nashville
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Pittsburgh Pirates

  • Recalled RHP Johan Oviedo from Triple-A Indianapolis
  • Recalled OF Calvin Mitchell from Triple-A Indianapolis
  • Corresponding moves: None required

St. Louis Cardinals

  • Selected contract of OF Ben DeLuzio from Triple-A Memphis
  • Recalled RHP James Naile from Triple-A Memphis
  • Corresponding moves: None required

National League East

Atlanta Braves

  • Reinstated IF Orlando Arcia from 10-day injured list
  • Added recently-claimed RHP Jesse Chavez to active roster
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Miami Marlins*

  • To recall OF Bryan De La Cruz
  • To recall RHP Jeff Brigham
  • Corresponding moves: None required

New York Mets

  • Selected contract of INF Deven Marrero from Triple-A Syracuse
  • Recalled RHP Adonis Medina from Triple-A Syracuse
  • Corresponding move: Designated RHP Connor Grey for assignment

Philadelphia Phillies

  • Selected contract of RHP Vinny Nittoli from Triple-A Lehigh Valley
  • Recalled C Donny Sands from Triple-A Lehigh Valley
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Washington Nationals

  • Recalled C Tres Barrera from Triple-A Rochester
  • Recalled RHP Mason Thompson from Triple-A Rochester
  • Corresponding moves: None required

*Marlins moves reported by Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link)

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Arizona Diamondbacks Atlanta Braves Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox Cincinnati Reds Cleveland Guardians Colorado Rockies Detroit Tigers Houston Astros Kansas City Royals Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Dodgers Miami Marlins Milwaukee Brewers Minnesota Twins New York Mets New York Yankees Oakland Athletics Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants Seattle Mariners St. Louis Cardinals Tampa Bay Rays Texas Rangers Toronto Blue Jays Transactions Washington Nationals Adam Haseley Alan Trejo Bradley Zimmer Bryan De La Cruz Cal Mitchell Casey Lawrence Chad Smith David Bote David Villar Donny Sands Ernie Clement Esteury Ruiz Jeff Brigham Jesse Chavez Johan Oviedo Jonathan Aranda Luis Perdomo Marwin Gonzalez Mason Thompson Matt Beaty Matt Boyd Matt Foster Matt Wisler Matthew Boyd Nate Eaton Orlando Arcia Reiss Knehr Rony Garcia Taylor Trammell Tres Barrera Vinny Nittoli Wade Miley

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Cardinals Acquire Jose Quintana, Chris Stratton From Pirates

By Anthony Franco and Steve Adams | August 1, 2022 at 10:11pm CDT

The Cardinals added a needed arm to the rotation and picked up a veteran reliever Monday evening, announcing an intra-division trade that will net them lefty Jose Quintana and righty Chris Stratton from the Pirates. In return, the Pirates are receiving righty Johan Oviedo and minor league third baseman Malcolm Nunez.

Jose Quintana | Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Quintana was an obvious trade candidate, as he’s an impending free agent on a Pittsburgh club with no chance of reaching the postseason in 2022. The Bucs were certain to move him for some players who could help beyond this season, and as a rental player, there’s no reason for Pittsburgh to be concerned about moving him to a division rival.

The Cards have kicked around the market for higher-impact arms, with former Oakland ace Frankie Montas reportedly a primary target. Once the A’s dealt Montas to the Yankees, it seems the Cards pivoted to a lower-cost veteran stabilizer for the back of the starting staff. Quintana is no longer the mid-rotation arm he was at his peak, the kind of pitcher a club would target to start a playoff game. Yet he’s had a decent bounceback season in Pittsburgh after struggling in 2021.

Quintana has made 20 starts for the Pirates, working to a 3.50 ERA. He’s only averaged a hair above five innings per outing, tallying 103 frames on the season. The sheltered role — in which Pittsburgh has limited his exposure to opposing lineups for a third time in a start — has aided the veteran southpaw, but his production has been good on a rate basis. Quintana’s 20.6% strikeout rate is a bit below average, but he’s induced swinging strikes on a solid 11.2% of his offerings. He’s also generated grounders on a slightly above-average 45% of batted balls — a trait that has been of appeal of the Cards front office in light of the team’s strong infield defense — and he’s only walked 7.2% of opponents.

Adding Quintana addresses a rotation that has been hit with a couple notable injuries in recent weeks. Jack Flaherty is shelved once again after battling renewed shoulder concerns, though the Cards hope he can return late this month. Offseason signee Steven Matz, meanwhile, tore the MCL in his left knee and could miss the remainder of the season. While he’s not officially been ruled out for the year, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak recently told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that it’d be “very, very difficult” to get him back onto a mound in 2022.

The Cardinals add Quintana to a rotation that also includes Adam Wainwright, Dakota Hudson, Miles Mikolas and rookie Andre Pallante. The Cards have top prospect Matthew Liberatore as a depth option, but he’s bounced on and off the active roster throughout the year. Pallante, meanwhile, has spent a good chunk of the season in the bullpen and could be on an innings limit. Even with a hopeful late-season return from Flaherty, the Cardinals could still look into another rotation pickup in addition to Quintana.

Chris Stratton | Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Stratton, meanwhile, gives the Cards a veteran reliever who’s worked in a leverage role with the Pirates for the past few seasons. He’s sitting on an ugly 5.09 ERA in 2022 but was a rock-solid member of the bullpen in 2020-21.

This year’s struggles have come in large part due to a bloated .365 average on balls in play against Stratton, who’s actually sporting a career-low 7.2% walk rate so far. The former first-round pick has seen his strikeout rate dip from last season’s 25.5% to 20.4% in 2022, but his 12.2% swinging-strike rate is right in line with last year’s mark and his 37.3% opponents’ chase rate on pitches off the plate is a career-best (and well north of the league average). He’s also a perennial spin-rate darling, and 2022 is no exception. Stratton leads all of Major League Baseball in fastball spin rate this season, and the spin rate on his curveball clocks into the 99th percentile.

All in all, Stratton looks like a nice rebound candidate, particularly once he moves from a Pirates club that ranks 24th in the Majors with -12 Outs Above Average (per Statcast) to a Cardinals club that ranks third with a collective +19 mark in that same category. As a bonus, Stratton will remain under team control into the 2023 season via arbitration.

It’s an affordable gambit for the Cardinals, as the 33-year-old Quintana is guaranteed just $2MM this season and Stratton is earning a similar $2.7MM salary. The final few months of those salaries won’t make much of an impact on St. Louis’ payroll outlook for the remainder of the year.

Turning to the Pirates’ end of the swap, they’ll add an immediate big league option for their staff in the 24-year-old Oviedo, who has logged MLB time with the Cardinals in each of the past three seasons. The 2022 campaign is the first that he’s enjoyed above-average results, but he’s been quite impressive in a bullpen role this season after struggling as a starter in 2020-21. Through 25 1/3 innings, Oviedo owns a 3.20 ERA with a 24.1% strikeout rate, a very strong 6.5% walk rate and a 43.2% ground-ball rate.

Oviedo is averaging a career-best 95.6 mph on his heater this season after moving into a multi-inning relief role, and he’s sporting career-best swinging-strike and opponents’ chase rates (13.3% and 33.9%, respectively). The Pirates could entertain the idea of moving him back into a starting role, but Oviedo has been hit hard as a starter both in Triple-A and in the Majors to this point in his career. The move to the bullpen may well be the best role for him going forward, and if that’s the case he can be a member of the Pittsburgh bullpen for years to come. Oviedo will finish the season with under two years of MLB service, meaning he can be controlled five years beyond the current season.

Nunez, 21, was the Cardinals’ No. 13 prospect on Baseball America’s midseason update of their prospect rankings. He’s in his second stint at the Double-A level and enjoying a much more productive go of it this time around, hitting .255/.360/.463 with 17 big flies in that pitcher-friendly setting. Nunez has walked at a hearty 13.7% clip and is striking out at a manageable 20.3% rate.

Scouting reports on Nunez give him little chance of sticking at third base, but the Cardinals have emphasized improving his defense in recent years and continue to play him at the hot corner. Nunez draws praise for above-average to plus power and a potentially above-average hit tool. A move to first base or even designated hitter might be in his future, but he adds an intriguing bat to the Pirates’ system — one who could soon be ready for the Triple-A level.

Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported that the Cardinals were finalizing a Quintana deal (Twitter link). Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch broke the news that Stratton was also headed to St. Louis (on Twitter). Francys Romero reported the Pirates’ return (Twitter link).

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Newsstand Pittsburgh Pirates St. Louis Cardinals Chris Stratton Johan Oviedo Jose Quintana Malcom Nunez Steven Matz

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Cardinals Promote Zack Thompson, Designate Kramer Robertson

By Steve Adams | June 3, 2022 at 10:34am CDT

The Cardinals announced a series of roster moves Friday, most notably selecting the contract of 2019 first-rounder Zack Thompson, who’ll join the pitching staff with the Cards slated to play four games in the next three days. Infielder Kramer Robertson was designated for assignment in a corresponding 40-man roster move. The Cards also optioned lefty Matthew Liberatore and right-hander Kodi Whitley to Triple-A Memphis and recalled righty Johan Oviedo from Memphis. Furthermore, the Cardinals announced that outfielders Tyler O’Neill and Dylan Carlson will begin minor league rehab assignments — O’Neill in Triple-A and Carlson in Double-A.

Thompson, 24, was the 19th overall pick in 2019 and has ranked among the Cardinals’ best pitching prospects since being selected that day. He’s not as highly touted as Liberatore, who was just optioned out, but ranks 15th in their system at Baseball America and ninth at MLB.com. The lefty saw his stock drop in 2021, when he posted an ERA just north of 7.00 and walked 12.8% of his opponents in Triple-A. However, that came after an aggressive jump from Class-A Advanced, where he’d thrown just 13 1/3 innings, and on the heels of a year-long layoff from pitching in a game setting due to the canceled 2020 minor league season.

Thompson has gotten out to a much better start in 2022. He’s still far from dominant in Triple-A but has worked to a 4.67 ERA in a hitter-friendly setting while sporting dramatically improved K-BB numbers. His strikeout rate is up from 18.5% in 2021 to 30.1% in 2022, while that 12.8% walk rate has been curbed to a very solid 8.1%. He’s induced grounders at a 44% clip — very slightly above the MLB 43.1% average — which should pair nicely with the Cardinals’ elite infield defense.

Scouting reports on Thompson note that his velocity took a step back in early 2021, though BA notes that it improved over the season. At his best, Thompson sits in the low 90s but can reach back to dial it up as high as 97 mph on the radar gun, and both BA and MLB.com tout his plus curveball and its elite spin rate. If he’s back on track in terms of velocity, there’s a chance for Thompson to eventually settle in as a mid-rotation starter in St. Louis, where the team’s overall defensive mastery can help to boost any pitcher’s raw run-prevention numbers.

Injuries to Jack Flaherty and Steven Matz have thinned out the St. Louis rotation at the moment, so Thompson could parlay this first big league look into a more prominent opportunity if he impresses early on. Looking forward, Adam Wainwright is only on a one-year deal, and it’s not clear what the future holds for him. Thompson and Liberatore could be vying for permanent rotation spots alongside Flaherty, Matz, Dakota Hudson and Miles Mikolas before long, now that both have reached the Majors for the first time.

From a service time vantage point, Thompson’s promotion comes far too late in the season for him to accumulate the service time needed to reach a full year in 2022. As such, the earliest he could potentially reach free agency would be after the 2028 season. If he sticks in the big leagues from here onward, he’d likely reach Super Two status and be arbitration-eligible four times rather than three, but one look at the manner in which Liberatore has already been shuttled back and forth a few times suggests that Thompson could be handled similarly.

As for the 27-year-old Robertson, he was selected to the 40-man roster back in early May but appeared in just two games before being optioned back to Memphis. Robertson went hitless in his lone plate appearance, though he did pick up an RBI. The 2017 fourth-rounder is a career .242/.367/.396 hitter in 222 Triple-A games and has routinely turned in elite walk rates throughout his minor league tenure. He’s never hit for a high average or displayed much power, however, and he’s been primarily a second baseman and third baseman rather than a shortstop, which curbs his appeal as a utility option. Robertson does have all three minor league option years remaining, so it’s possible another club will look at that and his gaudy OBP marks and see some optionable infield depth.

The Cards will have a week to trade Robertson or attempt to pass him through outright waivers, at which point all 29 other clubs would be able to place a claim.

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St. Louis Cardinals Transactions Dylan Carlson Johan Oviedo Kodi Whitley Kramer Robertson Matthew Liberatore Zack Thompson

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Cardinals To Place Jack Flaherty On 10-Day Injured List With “Significant” Oblique Injury

By TC Zencka | June 1, 2021 at 7:19pm CDT

The Cardinals will place Jack Flaherty on the 10-day injured list, but the news is much worse than just that, per MLB.com’s Jeff Jones (via Twitter). Flaherty suffered a “significant” oblique injury, adds the Athletic’s Katie Woo. There is no timetable for his return, but the initial word choices here do not paint a positive picture for the Cardinals’ right-hander, who may be looking at a Grade 2 or Grade 3 oblique strain – though no official designation has been given.

This comes as unwelcome news for the Cardinals, who are trying to fend off the Cubs and Brewers for first place in the NL Central. Obviously, losing their ace won’t help that cause. Flaherty has a 2.90 ERA/3.68 FIP in 62 innings through 11 starts, good for 1.0 fWAR. He has been allowing more fly balls than usual with a career-low 36.3 percent groundball rate, but those air-balls haven’t been leaving the yard – 11.7 HR/FB% is the lowest of his career.

The rest of Flaherty’s profile looks pretty close to what we’ve come to expect from the 25-year-old. He’s striking out 26.3 percent of opponents while walking 7.8 percent – both of which are above-average rates for starters this season. He’s averaging 93.9 mph on his four-seamer, which is right in line with the past couple of seasons. He’s gone with more four-seamers than sinkers than usual, but not enough to suggest a change in approach.

In the short-term,Johan Oviedo will take Flaherty’s spot in the rotation. Oviedo was recently optioned to Triple-A, but he’s been recalled in light of Flaherty’s injury. The 23-year-old has a 5.40 ERA/6.02 FIP in 20 innings this season. Before you ask, young hurlers Alex Reyes and Genesis Cabrera have already been ruled out by manager Mike Shildt as rotation options, tweets Jones. Daniel Ponce de Leon or Jake Woodford, however, could be stretched out with the possibility of opening games on the hill.

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Newsstand St. Louis Cardinals Transactions Jack Flaherty Johan Oviedo

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Latest Cardinals Roster Moves

By TC Zencka | May 29, 2021 at 3:26pm CDT

The Cardinals made a number of roster moves today, as reported by MLB.com’s Jeff Jones (Twitter links). Counter to yesterday’s report that Jose Rondon would be released to participate on Venezuela’s Olympic team, Rondon instead has had his contract selected to join the Cardinals’ Major League roster. Rondon last appeared in the Majors in 2019. He owns a .206/.260/.336 line across 290 career plate appearances with the Orioles, Padres, and White Sox.

The Cardinals are adding Rondon as a response to Max Moroff suffering left shoulder subluxation, an injury that will land him on the 10-day injured list. Moroff was just 1-for-16 in six games this season.

In other moves, Junior Fernandez has been recalled from Triple-A, while Johan Oviedo has been optioned to Triple-A, though he will remain with the team on the taxi squad, per the team. Fernandez was just optioned yesterday, but he’s able to re-join the team because of the Moroff injury. The 24-year-old has just two appearances this season covering 3 2/3 innings.

Oviedo, meanwhile, has appeared five times, starting four games. He has posted a 5.40 ERA/6.02 FIP across 20 innings with a 47.4 percent groundball rate, 17.4 percent strikeout rate and 16.3 percent walk rate. The Cardinals will want to see significant improvement from Oviedo in those strikeout and walk rates, though with just 20 innings, we’re still in the small sample size category for the 23 year old.

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St. Louis Cardinals Transactions Johan Oviedo Jose Rondon Junior Fernandez Max Moroff

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NL Central Notes: Cardinals, Yelich, Anderson, Hayes

By Steve Adams and Connor Byrne | April 23, 2021 at 8:54pm CDT

Facing a run of 17 games in 17 days, the Cardinals will move to a six-man rotation for the time being, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Young righty Johan Oviedo will make at least a pair of starts to afford the remainder of the Cardinals’ rotation five days of rest between outings. Pitching coach Mike Maddux says the team is focused on “keeping guys fresher for September and we hope October” with a shift to a larger starting staff. Right-hander Miles Mikolas, who has yet to pitch this season due to shoulder troubles (after missing the 2020 season because of flexor tendon surgery), is still a few weeks away from being a viable rotation option, per Goold. As such, the Cards will rely on Jack Flaherty, Adam Wainwright, Kwang Hyun Kim, John Gant, Carlos Martinez and Oviedo to make starts for the foreseeable future.

A few more notes from the division…

  • Brewers star Christian Yelich won’t be activated from the injured list when he is first eligible Saturday, manager Craig Counsell tells reporters (Twitter link via Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Counsell didn’t offer a potential return date for Yelich, who hasn’t played since April 11 because of a back ailment. Billy McKinney has been the Brewers’ main left field fill-in since Yelich went down, and though he hasn’t gotten on base much, his .275/.293/.550 line through 41 plate appearances is 25 percent above the league-average mark, according to FanGraphs’ wRC+ metric.
  • McKinney hit his third homer of the season Friday, but the Brewers still took a 15-2 beating at the hands of the division-rival Cubs. The game started inauspiciously for Milwaukee, which saw starter Brett Anderson exit with an injury in the first inning after facing four batters and surrendering three earned runs on three hits. Anderson said after the game that he’s dealing with a hamstring issue and will undergo an MRI, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com tweets. The Brewers will know Saturday whether the 33-year-old southpaw will require an IL stint.
  • Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes suffered a setback in his left injured wrist earlier this week, but he’s “doing better” now, manager Derek Shelton said (via Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic, on Twitter). Shelton added that the Pirates will know more on Hayes’ status when their road trip ends Sunday. Hayes was a popular NL Rookie of the Year pick entering the season, but he has only played in two games so far, and there’s no clear timetable for his return.
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Milwaukee Brewers Notes Pittsburgh Pirates St. Louis Cardinals Brett Anderson Christian Yelich Johan Oviedo Ke'Bryan Hayes Miles Mikolas

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Cardinals Place Tyler O’Neill On 10-Day Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | April 11, 2021 at 11:15am CDT

The Cardinals have placed outfielder Tyler O’Neill on the 10-day IL due to a right groin strain, the team announced.  Since righty Jake Woodford was optioned to the alternate training site after yesterday’s game, the two open roster spots were filled by outfielder Lane Thomas and right-hander Johan Oviedo.

O’Neill suffered the injury during an at-bat in yesterday’s 9-5 loss to the Brewers, coming out of the batter’s box moving slowly after hitting a grounder.  He was replaced in the field the next inning.  Manager Mike Shildt told reporters (including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) that O’Neill might only be out for the minimum 10 days, saying that the young outfielder received “Favorable news from an imaging standpoint….Probably a three to four day (situation) before he can get in there.  We didn’t want to play short for three or four days.”

The IL stint could possibly act as something of a reset for O’Neill, who has hit only .143/.172/.286 with a league-high 14 strikeouts over his first 29 plate appearances of the 2021 season.  Strikeouts have been a persistent issue during O’Neill’s four MLB seasons, and his overall production at the plate has trailed off considerably since a promising 2018 rookie season.  On the plus side, O’Neill won a Gold Glove for his defensive work as the Cardinals’ regular left fielder in 2020.

O’Neill joins Harrison Bader on the 10-day IL, leaving the Cards even more short-handed in the outfield.  A veteran of 52 Major League games, Thomas will join the mix along with Dylan Carlson, Justin Williams, Austin Dean, and utilityman Tommy Edman (when Edman isn’t at second base).  Minor league signing Matt Szczur is also on hand at the team’s alternate training site.

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St. Louis Cardinals Transactions Jake Woodford Johan Oviedo Lane Thomas Tyler O'Neill

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NL Notes: Rodgers, Carrasco, Cardinals, Nationals

By Anthony Franco | March 14, 2021 at 3:00pm CDT

Rockies infielder Brendan Rodgers left yesterday’s Spring Training contest after pulling up while trying to steal second base. He has since been diagnosed with a right hamstring strain, per Thomas Harding of MLB.com (Twitter link). It isn’t yet clear if the issue threatens his availability for Opening Day. If healthy, the former #3 overall pick looks to have a clear path to everyday playing time at second base. Should he be forced to miss time, Garrett Hampson or Josh Fuentes could stand to see an increased role (the latter at third base with Ryan McMahon playing the keystone). Chris Owings is also back in camp as a non-roster invitee and has plenty of second base experience.

More from the Senior Circuit:

  • Carlos Carrasco was slowed a bit by elbow soreness early in his first camp with the Mets. The right-hander played catch this morning and will throw a bullpen session Tuesday. He told reporters (including Tim Britton of the Athletic) that he expects to be ready for Opening Day. Manager Luis Rojas echoed Carrasco’s optimism about his potential season-opening availability, although the skipper cautioned that’ll partially depend on “how things go (next) week” (via Enrique Rojas of ESPN).
  • The recent injury to Kwang-hyun Kim gives Daniel Ponce de Leon a good shot to begin the season in the Cardinals’ rotation, writes Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Miles Mikolas’ own health woes had already opened up a spot, likely to be claimed by John Gant. Now, with Kim questionable to be ready for Opening Day after experiencing some back stiffness, there could be another job available behind Jack Flaherty, Adam Wainwright and Carlos Martínez. The Cards will also continue to lengthen out Jake Woodford and Johan Oviedo, Goold notes. Ponce de Leon has more MLB starting experience than those two, seemingly giving him the clearest path to the job if Kim isn’t fully recovered by the first week of April.
  • Nationals starter Jon Lester feels good after throwing a pair of innings of live batting practice this morning (per Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post and Maria Torres of the Athletic). Lester underwent surgery to remove his thyroid gland last week. Lester’s teammate Aaron Barrett had a minor surgery of his own, relays Dougherty. The 33-year-old reliever underwent a cleanup procedure on his right knee earlier this week but has returned to camp.
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Colorado Rockies New York Mets Notes St. Louis Cardinals Washington Nationals Aaron Barrett Brendan Rodgers Carlos Carrasco Daniel Poncedeleon Jake Woodford Johan Oviedo Jon Lester Kwang-Hyun Kim

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Health Notes: Paxton, Rays, Phils, Reds, Cards

By Connor Byrne | September 10, 2020 at 8:07pm CDT

Yankees southpaw James Paxton will go the next couple days without throwing after feeling soreness following Wednesday’s session, manager Aaron Boone told WFAN (via Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News). It’s unclear how much longer Paxton will be sidelined from the flexor strain that sent him to the IL on Aug. 21, but as Ackert notes, time is running out for him to return – at least to the Yankees’ rotation – during the regular season. Paxton’s problems, both in terms of injury and performance, are among the reasons the Yankees’ starting staff has disappointed this year. Although the 31-year-old dealt with his share of injuries in prior seasons, he typically fared well when healthy. In 2020, though, Paxton has stumbled to a 6.64 ERA over five starts and 20 1/3 innings.

  • Rays manager Kevin Cash hasn’t ruled out regular-season returns for third baseman Yandy Diaz or catcher Mike Zunino, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. Diaz went to the IL on Sept. 1 with a right hamstring strain, while Zunino has been down since Aug. 29 with a strained oblique. Diaz has been a major on-base threat with a .307/.427/.386 line in 138 plate appearances, whereas Zunino has gone through a second straight horrible season on offense (.133/.235/.383 with 29 strikeouts in 68 PA).
  • The Phillies expect outfielder/designated hitter Jay Bruce to return this month, Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays. Bruce has been on the IL twice with quad problems going back to August, and his most recent placement came Sept. 6. He was a good power source before then with a .225/.276/.578 line and six home runs in 76 plate appearances. Meanwhile, Philly’s hopeful that left-handed reliever Jose Alvarez will make it back if they earn a playoff spot. Alvarez threw 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball before taking a 105 mph line drive off the groin on Aug. 20.
  • Reds left-hander Wade Miley “took a step back today” in his recovery from shoulder troubles, manager David Bell announced (Twitter links via C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic). Consequently, the Reds don’t expect Miley back this weekend. He last took the mound Aug. 27. The news is better for outfielder Nick Senzel, who Bell said is “pretty close” to coming back. Senzel hasn’t played since Aug. 14, but the Reds haven’t disclosed a reason for his absence.
  • Cardinals righty Johan Oviedo is in COVID-19 quarantine, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Oviedo hasn’t tested positive for the illness, but he was exposed to someone who did. As a result, the Cardinals – whose season was halted for a couple weeks last month because of the virus – are taking a cautious approach. They placed Oviedo on the IL on Thursday. It seems righty Carlos Martinez will take over in the Cardinals’ rotation for Oviedo, a 22-year-old rookie who has put up a 4.66 ERA/4.26 FIP in his first four starts and 19 1/3 innings in the bigs.
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Cincinnati Reds New York Yankees Notes Philadelphia Phillies St. Louis Cardinals Tampa Bay Rays James Paxton Jay Bruce Johan Oviedo Jose Alvarez Mike Zunino Nick Senzel Wade Miley Yandy Diaz

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