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Cardinals Place Justin Miller On Injured List

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The Cardinals have placed right-handed pitcher Justin Miller on the injured list with an elbow strain, per a team announcement. Fellow righty Jake Woodford, who was optioned after yesterday’s double-header, has been recalled in a corresponding move.

The extent of Miller’s injury is not known at this time, though an elbow injury is always concerning for a pitcher. This will be his second trip to the IL this year, as he hit the shelf in August with right ulnar nerve irritation. The 34-year-old was claimed off waivers from the Nationals in July and has thrown 19 innings this year between the two clubs. Miller had a bloated ERA of 15.00 over a tiny three-inning sample with Washington but fared much better after swapping jerseys. In 16 innings with the Cardinals, he has an ERA of 4.50. With less than ten days remaining in the regular season, and the pitching staff recently being bolstered by the returns of Jack Flaherty and Dakota Hudson, it seems possible that Miller won’t return for the club this year. Though if he can return to health and the Cards go on a lengthy playoff run, they could circle back to him in the event of other injuries. He can be retained this offseason via arbitration but seems likely to be non-tendered.

The one bit of good news for the Cardinals in all this pertains to Edmundo Sosa. The shortstop was hit on the wrist by a pitch yesterday and immediately left the game. Manager Mike Shildt later told reporters, including Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, that they couldn’t find evidence of a fracture and that Sosa would miss just a few days. The fact that he was not placed on the IL today suggests that estimate holds and that they don’t expect his absence to stretch into the postseason. The 25-year-old has been a pleasant surprise for the club this season, hitting .274/.348/.395. That adds up to a wRC+ of 106, his highest such mark at any level since a rookie ball stint back in 2017. Combined with quality defense, he’s been worth 1.8 wins above replacement this season, according to FanGraphs. The Cardinals can probably afford to be somewhat cautious with his recovery, given that they’re currently on an incredible 14-game winning streak, which has launched them into the final NL Wild Card spot, with a five-game cushion between them and their nearest competitors, the Phillies.

Paul DeJong should slot into short in Sosa’s place, for the time being. The 28-year-old’s bat has slipped a bit in recent years. From 2017 to 2019, he slashed .251/.318/.467, for a wRC+ of 108. But over 2020 and 2021, he’s hitting just .215/.299/.378, wRC+ of 88. Though thanks to good defensive numbers, he’s still been worth 2.1 fWAR in that time. DeJong is under contract through 2023, with a pair of club options for 2024 and 2025. The emergence of Sosa, who will have five years of control after this one, could give the club a surplus from which to trade. But Sosa has also played some second and third base this season, perhaps allowing the Cards to keep both and maintain flexibility.

Cardinals Notes: Trades, Miller, DeJong, Bedell

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“Opportunities at the margins are sometimes available in the near term.  Opportunities to make…more significant changes are rarely going to happen until six to eight weeks from now,” Cardinals GM Michael Girsch told Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat and other reporters earlier this week.  In short, it doesn’t appear too likely that the Cards will be swinging any notable trades in the near future.  As Jones notes, the club hasn’t really made any win-now types of deadline moves in recent seasons, and it remains to be seen if the Cards will change course by July 30 of this year.

St. Louis entered Sunday in first place in the NL Central, in a tight race with the Cubs and Brewers.  There is certainly room for upgrades on the Cardinals’ roster, with Jones pointing out that (in particular) the bullpen is lacking depth beyond Genesis Cabrera, Giovanny Gallegos, and Alex Reyes.  Adding another middle relief type wouldn’t necessarily count as a headline-grabbing move, and by that same token, a team that’s already in “seller mode” might be more willing to part with a reliever now rather than wait until closer to July 30.

More from the Gateway City…

  • Some bullpen help could come from within, as Andrew Miller could be activated from the 10-day injured list this week.  The target date may be Thursday for the start of the Cardinals’ series with the Reds, as manager Mike Shildt told reporters (including MLB.com’s Daniel Guerrero) that wants at least one more Triple-A rehab outing.  Miller has been on the IL since April 29 due to a blister on his right foot.
  • Paul DeJong’s return date is less certain, as Shildt told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other reporters yesterday that the shortstop will require a rehab assignment before getting back to the field.  A non-displaced left rib fracture sent DeJong to the injured list in the middle of May, and the nature of the injury has kept the Cardinals from pushing too hard: “A non-displaced fracture become a fracture if we don’t take care of it,” Shildt said.  DeJong has, at least, been able to take some grounders.
  • Pitching prospect Ian Bedell underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this week, as Bedell revealed himself on his Instagram page.  The University Of Missouri product was a fourth-round pick for St. Louis in the 2020 draft, so his first minor league season was already canceled by the pandemic, and Bedell only appeared in two games for high-A Peoria before being sidelined with injury.  Given the 13-15 month recovery timeline associated with Tommy John procedures, Bedell might face a bit of a squeeze in getting back on the mound before the end of the 2022 minor league season.

Cardinals Place Paul DeJong On 10-Day IL, Select Max Moroff

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The Cardinals have placed shortstop Paul DeJong on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 13) with a non-displaced left rib fracture, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. In corresponding moves, the team selected infielder Max Moroff and moved reliever Jordan Hicks to the 60-day IL.

It’s unknown how much time DeJong will miss, though the obvious hope is that this won’t potentially lead to a weeks-long absence. DeJong has again been the Cardinals’ go-to option at short, where he has started 35 of the first-place club’s 38 games. The 27-year-old has had a tough time offensively for the second straight season, though, having batted .177/.277/.371 (85 wRC+) with seven home runs in 141 plate appearances. Tommy Edman figures to get the bulk of the work at short with DeJong down, leaving second base to Matt Carpenter, Katie Woo of The Athletic tweets.

Moroff, whom the Cardinals signed to a minor league contract last winter, will get his first opportunity with the team as a result of DeJong’s injury. The 28-year-old has appeared in the majors with the Pirates and Indians, though he has slumped to a line of .183/.277/.319 (60 wRC+) with seven home runs in 244 trips to the plate. Moroff has, however, offered nice production in Triple-A ball, as his .239/.372/.413 mark with 37 home runs over 1,215 PA shows.

Hicks’ placement on the 60-day IL is another blow to St. Louis, which won’t get him back until at least July 1. It’s not out of the blue, though, as expectations were that Hicks would miss six or more weeks as of May 10. The flamethrowing right-hander, a Tommy John surgery recipient in 2019, is battling elbow issues again.

Cardinals Activate Paul DeJong From Injured List

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The Cardinals have activated shortstop Paul DeJong from the injured list,as first reported by Anne Rogers of MLB.com (Twitter link). DeJong was one of seven players in the organization who tested positive for COVID-19 a few weeks back, but he’s fortunately returned to health and playing shape in short order. Right-hander Seth Elledge was optioned out to clear active roster space.

Ultimately, the Cards’ shortstop missed just eleven of the team’s games, although that’s largely a reflection of the club’s sixteen-day absence that stemmed from the outbreak. The sturdy DeJong has coupled league average offense with strong defensive metrics in recent years, settling in as an above-average everyday option. Tommy Edman picked up the bulk of shortstop work in DeJong’s absence, but he’s now free to return to a utility role.

More broadly, the Cardinals’ shutdown has placed the front office in something of an awkward position with the trade deadline just eight days away. As president of baseball operations John Mozeliak explained to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the club has an even smaller sample than most teams on which to self-assess.

From the outside, that seems it could be particularly tricky for St. Louis, which has solid players across the roster but few star-level performers beyond first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and ace Jack Flaherty. Barring a collapse in the next week, it’d be a surprise if St. Louis weren’t approaching deadline season with a buyer’s mentality. It’ll be fascinating to see how Mozeliak and the rest of the front office approach a deadline with far less information than any other.

Paul DeJong, Yadier Molina Cleared To Return From COVID-19 IL

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The Cardinals finally returned to action Aug. 15 after a long, coronavirus-caused layoff, but they still haven’t been at full strength. Shortstop Paul DeJong, catcher Yadier Molina, reliever Kodi Whitley and infielder Rangel Ravelo were absent from the Cardinals’ five games since last weekend, but they may not be unavailable for much longer. Manager Mike Shildt announced Tuesday that all of those players have been cleared to come off the COVID-19 injured list, Anne Rogers of MLB.com tweets and as Jeff Jones of the Belleville News first reported. 

DeJong, Molina, Whitley and Ravelo were among the many Cardinals who tested positive, leading to the team’s protracted shutdown that began July 29. DeJong has been one of the most valuable shortstops in the game since he debuted in 2017, so he’ll be an especially welcome addition when he’s good to take the field again. The Cardinals will also be happy to have Molina back, as even though his offensive production has waned, he’s a heart-and-soul player for the franchise.

Since coming back, the shorthanded Cardinals have gone with Tommy Edman at short and a combination of Andrew Knizner and Matt Wieters behind the plate. All three have gotten off to poor starts this season.

Cardinals Place Yadier Molina, Paul DeJong, Carlos Martinez On Injured List

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4:00pm: Molina, DeJong, Sosa, Fernandez, Whitley and Carlos Martinez have all been placed on the injured list, the Cardinals announced. Veteran infielder Brad Miller, meanwhile, has been activated from the IL. Corresponding roster moves will be announced in the coming days, per the club.

The Cardinals also announced that minor league hitting coordinator Russ Steinhorn, who has been working at the team’s alternate training site, will join the Major League coaching staff. Assistant minor league hitting coordinator Joey Hawkins will head to the alternate site in his place.

10:50am: Mainstay Cardinals backstop Yadier Molina announced today that he is among the players that has tested positive for COVID-19. Starting shortstop Paul DeJong is also among the players to test positive.

The team further announced (with the players’ approval) that infielders Edmundo Sosa and Rangel Ravelo and pitchers Junior Fernandez and Kodi Whitley have been infected with the coronavirus. That would appear to leave one additional player unidentified based upon prior indications of seven positive tests.

Each of these players will obviously be sidelined while recovering, which will hopefully occur in short order. They’ll have to test negative twice before being allowed to resume baseball activities with the organization. Depending upon the amount of time that takes, each player could potentially require some training time before rejoining the active roster.

The most important thing here, obviously, is the health of the players involved and those that have potentially come into contact with them. Based upon recent testing results, the team is hopeful that the spread has been limited to these players and the various staff members that have already tested positive.

From a baseball standpoint, it’s obviously a significant blow to the team’s roster. The 38-year-old Molina has long carried a huge burden behind the dish. DeJong is a high-quality younger player. While the other players had lesser roles, they’re all part of the depth picture. And Whitley seemed primed to emerge as a potentially important part of the club’s bullpen.

Andrew Knizner and veteran Matt Wieters will presumably share duties at the catching position. Filling the void at short could prove tricky, particularly with all three infielders departing the roster at the same moment. There’s no clear option in the 60-man player pool. Utility candidate Max Schrock lacks substantial experience at short. Elehuris Montero and Nolan Gorman are young infielders with talent, but they’re still fairly raw and are both limited to third base.

A Shortstop Showdown

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While they’re not in the same division, a pair of centrally based major league teams have produced a couple of the majors’ top-performing shortstops. The White Sox of the American League Central have seen Tim Anderson turn into a rather valuable player. The same goes for the Cardinals of the National League Central and Paul DeJong. They’re pretty similar in value, age and contract situations, but which of the two would you rather have?

Anderson, 26, was a first-round pick in 2013 who debuted in ’16 and took some time to find himself as a major league hitter. In 1,643 plate appearances from his first year through 2018, he hit a below-average .258/.286/.411 (86 wRC+) with 46 home runs and 51 stolen bases. A high strikeout rate (26 percent) and a low walk percentage (3.4) were part of the problem. Those K/BB trends largely stayed in place last year (2.9 percent and 21 percent, respectively), but Anderson nonetheless found another gear a hitter. He slashed .335/.357/.508 (130 wRC+) with 18 homers and 17 steals en route to a career-best 3.5 fWAR (he combined for 4.1 in the prior three seasons) and an AL batting title. Of course, he was also the beneficiary of a .399 batting average on balls in play – up .110 points from the previous year – and Statcast wasn’t as bullish as his bottom-line production (.363 weighted on-base average versus .328 expected wOBA).

Shifting to the defensive side, Anderson hasn’t been a consistently good player, at least not according to the metrics. By Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating, he has been a plus player twice and a minus fielder twice. The most recent campaign fell into the latter category, as he posted minus-12 DRS with a minus-9.1 UZR. DeJong, meanwhile, has greatly outdone Anderson as a defender since debuting with the Cardinals in 2017. Last season, for instance, DeJong put up 26 DRS and 11.4 UZR, making him one of the sport’s top fielders.

Also 26, DeJong has graded as a solid performer on a regular basis dating back to his first game in the majors. He has been at least a 3.0-fWAR player every season, including a career-high 4.1 mark in 2019. DeJong, unlike Anderson, has struggled to hit for average of late, but he was a 30-HR man last year – a season in which he finished with a .233/.318/.444 mark (100 wRC+) across 664 plate appearances. Going by wRC+, it was the third consecutive time that DeJong registered league-average or better offensive numbers. That and his excellent defense have combined to make DeJong quite valuable for St. Louis.

Beyond the production on the field, you have to consider the two players’ contracts when comparing them. They’re pretty alike in that regard, too. Anderson inked a six-year, $25MM extension heading into the 2017 season. That deal also includes a $12.5MM club option for 2023 and a potential $14MM salary the next season. Whether or not the White Sox pick up either option, they’re surely not regretting the gamble now. Likewise, the Cardinals must be happy that they locked DeJong into a six-year, $26MM pact prior to 2018. That deal includes a $12.5MM option for 2024 and $15MM in ’25.

There’s a lot to like about both of these shortstops, but if you have to pick one, whom would you want on your team? (Poll link for app users)

Cardinals Notes: Coaches, Clapp, Ankiel, Wainwright, Offseason

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The Cardinals will face some changes in the coaching ranks, as third base coach Jose Oquendo has informed the team he will not return in 2019, president of baseball ops John Mozeliak announced to reporters Tuesday (links via Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Mark Saxon of The Athletic). Oquendo, who was offered the opportunity to return, will work with the club in Spring Training but will spend the bulk of the season away from the game with his family.

In Oquendo’s absence, bench coach Ron Warner is moving to third base coach. First base coach Oliver Marmol is taking the reins at bench coach, while hitting coach George Greer will be a minor league hitting coordinator moving forward. That leaves the Cards with a vacancy both at hitting coach and first base coach, and Goold notes that Triple-A manager Stubby Clapp is expected to be offered one of those two positions if he is not hired away from the team. Clapp, who has been quite successful in his current role with the Cardinals’ Memphis affiliate, is also a rumored candidate for the Blue Jays’ managerial post (though he has denied hearing from the Jays to this point).

More out of St. Louis…

  • Goold notes that Mozeliak plans to speak with Rick Ankiel about the former left-hander/outfielder’s desire to make a comeback in 2019. Ankiel announced back in August that he was planning on pursuing a return to the Majors as a relief pitcher. He told Yahoo’s Tim Brown that month that he has “nothing to lose” and feels that he’s “in a better place” than he was when his career on the mound was derailed by the yips nearly two decades ago. While Ankiel would be nothing more than a roll of the dice, Mozeliak did express a desire to improve the left-handed pitching in the Cardinals’ relief corps. Zach Britton and Andrew Miller headline this year’s crop of free-agent lefty relievers, though there are ample names beyond that pair (to say nothing of countless options on the trade market).
  • Details of Adam Wainwright’s contract to return to the Cardinals won’t become clear for a few weeks, but Mozeliak indicated (via Saxon) the venerable right-hander was “willing to bet on himself,” adding that the risks associated with the contract are low. Obviously, that indicates that the contract will come with a fairly small base salary. It’s already been reported that Wainwright’s contract will have both rotation- and bullpen-based incentives, so the team may not yet even have a determination on what his role will be in 2019. Mozeliak did note that the rotation, which is loaded with depth options, is “probably not going to be our focus of energy.”
  • Rather, Saxon notes, supplementing the offense seems to be a greater focus. The preference, Mozeliak implied, would be a left-handed bat, though he added that he “[doesn’t] think it has to be.” The longstanding head of baseball ops for the Cards firmly indicated that the team hasn’t given up on Dexter Fowler being able to bounce back, though he also wouldn’t make any declarative statements about Fowler’s role in 2019. Mozeliak called the positions filled by Yadier Molina (catcher), Paul DeJong (shortstop), Marcell Ozuna (left field) and Harrison Bader (center field) all “pretty certain,” and indicated that Matt Carpenter would be in the lineup as well, most likely at first base. Beyond that, Mozeliak emphasized that he’s been a “big advocate” for Kolten Wong and hopes the defensive stalwart can continue to improve.
  • As Goold notes, third base and right field seemed the two most plausible areas for upgrade based on Mozeliak’s comments. That’ll lead to no shortage of speculation tying the Cards to top free agents Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, though when asked about free agents, Mozeliak explained that he has “to be pragmatic and understand what that looks like” from a long-term vantage point.

NL Central Notes: Reds, Cardinals, Cubs

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The 2019 Reds payroll will be the team’s highest ever, owner Bob Castellini tells Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer.  We already knew that the Reds planned on spending more next season, though Castellini’s comments suggest a fairly notable increase over this season’s $101.34MM Opening Day payroll.  The team’s previous payroll high was $115.3MM on Opening Day 2015, and that total jumped to over $118MM by the end of that season.  However, Castellini also referenced increased organizational spending, which suggest he may not be referring exclusively to player payroll.  Regardless, Cincinnati will be shopping for multiple arms this winter, as Castellini notes that “We know we have to bolster the whole pitching situation.  Are we talking about one starter or two?  Two bullpen guys, three bullpen guys?”

More from Cincinnati and the NL Central….

  • MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently took note of the fairly substantial drop in attendance seen at the Great American Ball Park this year, while Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that 2018 marked the Reds’ slowest year at the turnstiles since 1984.  Elsewhere around town, however, Cincinnati’s minor league soccer team FC Cincinnati is busy setting attendance records as they prepare to make the jump to the MLS in 2019, according to Sharon Coolidge and Patrick Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer.  Losing the attendance battle to a minor league soccer team might be discouraging, but it’s also a clear indication for the Reds that a hunger exists in the city to support a winner.
  • The Cardinals are hoping to get their middle infield combo of Kolten Wong and Paul DeJong healthy this offseason with a little R&R.  Wong will avoid surgery on a balky left knee that led to some hamstring soreness later in the year, as per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  DeJong successful underwent surgery last week to remove a plate that from his left hand that was inserted to aid the healing process after he broke it in May. He’ll be in a cast for a few weeks, but should be healthy enough for offseason workouts before too long. DeJong struggled to regain his power stroke after returning in July, though that isn’t an uncommon short-term issue for players recovering from a broken hand.  St. Louis hopes to get this tandem healthy, as they’re both signed to fairly modest long-term deals. Wong is signed for two more seasons with a $12.5MM option for 2021, while DeJong signed an extension in March.
  • In Cubs news, MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat took an early look at the questions Theo Epstein and company need to address this offseason.  The Cubs fell from first in runs scored to eighth in the second half, but exactly where in the lineup they’ll look to upgrade is as of yet unclear.  Perhaps the easiest way to improve the offense is to get Kris Bryant’s shoulder back in good form, as the former NL MVP was in and out of the lineup for much of the second half with shoulder soreness.  For now, the plan is to avoid surgery and hope that a longer offseason than usual helps the healing process.

Injury Updates: Syndergaard, Cueto, DeJong, Font, Buxton

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The Mets fell to 32-48 on Saturday and now own the National League’s worst record, but here’s a rare piece of good news for the woebegone club: Noah Syndergaard may be nearing a return. The team’s co-ace, who has been on the disabled list with a strained finger ligament since May 29, is scheduled to throw a simulated game in Port St. Lucie, Fla., during the upcoming week, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Syndergaard will be opposed by fellow injured starter Jason Vargas, who went on the DL last weekend because of a strained calf. If the outing goes well for both pitchers, each would figure to make at least one rehab start before returning, DiComo adds. In Syndergaard’s case, he could be auditioning for other teams upon his comeback, as the Mets are willing to listen to any offers that may come in for the prized 25-year-old prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

Here’s more injury news from around the game:

  • Like Syndergaard, Giants front-line starter Johnny Cueto is on the cusp of a long-awaited return. Cueto, who last took the mound April 28, made a successful Double-A rehab start Friday as he works back from a right elbow sprain. Cueto will throw a bullpen session Monday, and the Giants will then decide whether to activate the 32-year-old or have him make another rehab start, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
  • Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong is on track to return to the team early in the upcoming week, Peter Baugh of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch relays. The power-hitting DeJong has been out since May 18 because of a fractured left hand, which has left shortstop to Greg Garcia and Yairo Munoz in St. Louis. Fortunately for the Cardinals, Garcia and Munoz have offered decent production in DeJong’s place. However, their output has fallen well short of the .260/.351/.473 line DeJong has posted in 171 plate appearances.
  • The Rays placed right-hander Wilmer Font on the 10-day disabled list and recalled fellow righty Hunter Wood from Triple-A on Saturday, according to Bill Chastain of MLB.com. The right lat injury Font suffered Friday is likely to keep him out for around eight weeks, manager Kevin Cash revealed. Font, whom the Rays acquired from the Athletics in late May, looked to be emerging as a find for Tampa Bay prior to the injury. The 28-year-old has made nine appearances (five starts) since the trade and logged a 1.67 ERA over 27 innings, though he has only managed 20 strikeouts against 11 walks. Now that Font’s on the shelf, the bullpen-heavy Rays are down to just two traditional starters – Blake Snell and Nathan Eovaldi.
  • Twins center fielder Byron Buxton has been out for a month because of a fractured left big toe, and there’s still no timetable for his return, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com writes. While Buxton’s making progress in his recovery, it’s possible he’ll stay in the minors beyond July 8 (when his rehab assignment ends), Bollinger explains. Even if Buxton’s healthy, the Twins don’t want to recall him until they’re confident he’ll be able to help them at the plate. With a miserable .156/.183/.200 line in 94 PAs, the 24-year-old Buxton has been a drain on Minnesota’s offense this season.
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