Rotation Injuries Could Push Cardinals To Trade Market
While the Cardinals haven’t provided much in the way of specifics beyond classifying ace Jack Flaherty‘s oblique strain as “significant,” MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter) that the 25-year-old righty could be sidelined for the remainder of the first half of the season. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch also weighs in on the lack of a concrete timeline for Flaherty, similarly implying that he could be many weeks away from returning to the Cards. Jeff Jones of the Belleville News pegs Flaherty’s likely return at some point in August.
It was clear at the time of the injury that Flaherty would miss more than the 10-day minimum associated with his placement on the injured list, but an IL stint spanning into the season’s second half would wipe out as much as quarter of Flaherty’s season. Losing Flaherty for even a couple starts is a blow for St. Louis, but seeing him shelved for six-plus weeks would be a gut punch for a team that has been beset by rotation injuries.
The Cardinals lost young righty Dakota Hudson to Tommy John surgery last September, and they’ve received just four innings from Miles Mikolas so far in 2021 after he experienced renewed forearm discomfort in his return from a flexor operation that wiped out his 2020 season. The plan for Mikolas is to be reevaluated either in late June or early July, but there’s no clear timeline on a potential return for him either. Meanwhile, lefty Kwang Hyun Kim is out with a lower back injury.
With the injuries piling up in rapid fashion, the Cardinals’ rotation has dwindled. Adam Wainwright remains a rock for their staff, but Carlos Martinez has been inconsistent and was just obliterated by the Dodgers for 10 runs in less than an inning of work in his most recent outing. Righty John Gant has an impressive 2.63 ERA, but he won’t be able to maintain that production unless he curbs a sky-high 15 percent walk rate. In 54 innings, he has nearly as many free passes issued (37) as strikeouts recorded (41), and he’s also plunked three batters. Young righty Johan Oviedo‘s control has been similarly worrisome in a smaller sample of 24 innings (five starts).
Meanwhile, as Goold notes in his column, top Cardinals pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore is slated to pitch for Team USA in the Olympics. He could be called back to the organization to help fill the need, but Goold writes that Mozeliak called this a “tough” decision while acknowledging that Liberatore’s Olympic aspirations could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
All of that makes Flaherty’s injury even more problematic for the Cardinals, though given his general excellence, it’d be a notable blow even if the rest of the staff were healthy and effective. In 62 innings so far this season, Flaherty has logged a 2.90 ERA with a hearty 26.3 percent strikeout rate and a better-than-average 7.8 percent walk rate. Since being ambushed for six runs in an Opening Day start against the Reds, he’s pitched to a 2.18 ERA in 57 2/3 frames.
Despite the fact that their rotation is in shambles, the Cardinals are hanging in the NL Central race at 31-29. They’re two and a half games behind the division-leading Brewers and a half-game back from the Cubs, with a Wild Card spot sitting just 3.5 games out of reach. So long as they continue to tread water and keep themselves within striking distance of a postseason bid, it feels safe to presume that rotation upgrades will be a primary focus for president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, general manager Mike Girsch and the rest of the front office as the deadline draws nearer.
It’s worth wondering whether the glaring rotation issues would be enough to make the Cards jump the market a bit — there ought to be plenty of available names from which to choose — but notable trades are far more commonplace in July than in June, historically speaking.
NL Injury Notes: Voth, Naquin, Molina, Mets
Nationals pitcher Austin Voth suffered a broken nose after being hit in the face by a Vince Velasquez pitch. In the third inning of today’s 12-6 Nats loss to the Phillies, Voth squared to bunt but couldn’t avoid Velasquez’s off-target fastball in time. Voth did walk off the field under his own power, and Washington manager Davey Martinez told reporters (including Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com) that the right-hander would have his nose reset tonight.
Today was Voth’s first official start of the season, though it was intended as something of a glorified opener/piggyback outing since Voth has worked out of the bullpen all season. After inconsistent results as a starter over his first three seasons, Voth has delivered strong bottom-line results in the form of a 2.73 ERA over 29 2/3 innings in his multi-inning reliever role, though advanced metrics (like a 92.3% strand rate and a .239 BABIP) indicate some good fortune.
Martinez also related the incident to the league’s efforts to crack down on pitchers’ use of foreign substances on the ball, saying that “you’ll see more [hit by pitches] if we keep messing around with the stuff about the balls. I understand them trying to clean some stuff up. But it’s hot, it’s slippery, it’s sweaty. I know Velasquez didn’t throw in there intentionally, but I’m afraid that if we don’t come up with something unified for everybody, you’ll see a lot more of that. And that’s a scary feeling.”
More injury updates from the Senior Circuit…
- Tyler Naquin left Sunday’s 8-7 Reds victory over the Cardinals due to left hamstring tightness. Naquin took something of an awkward slide into second base in the first inning, and was replaced by a pinch-hitter for his next plate appearance in the top of the third. Naquin has cooled down after a scorching-hot opening month of the season, but the outfielder still has an impressive .257/.333/.509 slash line and 11 homers over 189 plate appearances while emerging as Cincinnati’s everyday center fielder. Reds manager David Bell told MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon and other reporters that the removal was precautionary in nature, and Naquin could be back as early as Tuesday for the Reds’ next game.
- Yadier Molina left yesterday’s game after taking a foul tip off his kneecap, and the veteran catcher wasn’t in today’s Cardinals lineup. However, manager Mike Shildt told reporters (including Stu Durando of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) that “it looks like a little-bit-of-rest situation” and that Molina might have been able to play today in the event of an emergency. The Cards have off-days both tomorrow and Thursday, so Molina might not miss much time even if he does need more than a day to recover.
- There isn’t much new progress with the status of either Brandon Nimmo or J.D. Davis, as neither Mets regular seems close to a return. As Mets manager Luis Rojas told The New York Daily News’ Deesha Thosar and other reporters, Nimmo is taking swings but not off a tee or against actual pitches, as he continues to recover from a nerve problem in his left index finger. Davis isn’t swinging whatsoever, as his sprained left hand will be in a splint for the next few days. Jonathan Villar is battling a tight hamstring and wasn’t in today’s starting lineup, as Rojas said the team is being cautious with Villar after he was able to come off the bench on both Friday and Saturday.
Cardinals Claim Brandon Waddell, Outright Tyler Webb
The Cardinals have claimed lefty Brandon Waddell off waivers from the Orioles, per announcements from both teams. Additionally, St. Louis lefty Tyler Webb has cleared outright waivers and been assigned to Triple-A Memphis. Both clubs now have a full 40-man roster.
St. Louis becomes Waddell’s third team of the 2021 season. A former Pirates prospect, Waddell opened the year with the Twins, but the Orioles claimed him off waivers last month. Between Pittsburgh, Minnesota and Baltimore, Waddell has logged 8 1/3 innings over the past two seasons, allowing seven runs (six earned) on twelve hits and six walks with just three strikeouts.
Obviously, Waddell hasn’t found success at the big league level yet, but he’s continued to attract interest from teams. He’s shown the ability to spin his low-90s fastball and mid-80s slider at high rates during his limited MLB time. Waddell has also posted impressive minor league numbers up through Double-A, although he’s only managed a 6.02 ERA in parts of three Triple-A seasons.
Waddell could be an option to replace Webb as a lefty relief option for St. Louis. The Cards designated the 30-year-old for assignment earlier this week after a dreadful start to the season. Webb doesn’t have the requisite service time to reject an outright assignment. He’ll instead report to Memphis and look to work his way back into the major league mix at some point.
Central Notes: Mondesi, Twins, Moroff, White Sox
Before this afternoon’s game against the Twins, the Royals placed shortstop Adalberto Mondesi on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 4, with a left hamstring strain. It’s a tough blow for the speedy shortstop, who missed almost all of the season’s first two months with an oblique issue. In between the injuries, Mondesi has gotten off to a productive start, hitting .360/.360/.720 with a pair of homers in seven games. To replace him on the active roster, Kansas City recalled outfielder Edward Olivares from Triple-A Omaha.
More from the game’s central divisions:
- Twins center fielder Byron Buxton could embark on a minor league rehab assignment at some point next week, manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters (including Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press). Buxton has missed the better part of a month with a right hip strain, a devastating development considering his incredible start to the season. Before the injury, the 27-year-old looked well on his way to putting himself in early AL MVP conversation, hitting .370/.408/.772 with nine homers in his first 98 plate appearances. Righty Kenta Maeda, meanwhile, threw a 35-pitch bullpen session this morning and looks to be nearing a rehab assignment of his own, per Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com (Twitter link).
- Cardinals utilityman Max Moroff will require season-ending surgery on his left shoulder, manager Mike Shildt announced (via Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat). The procedure comes with a seven-month recovery timeline, so Moroff figures to be ready for next Spring Training. Moroff, selected to the St. Louis roster last month, went just 1-16 with ten strikeouts in six games. The Cardinals figure to transfer him to the 60-day injured list when the need for a 40-man roster spot arises.
- The White Sox announced this morning they’ve reinstated outfielder Adam Engel from the injured list to make his season debut. He’s starting in center field this afternoon against the Tigers. Fellow center fielder Billy Hamilton is going on the 10-day IL due to a right oblique strain in a corresponding move. Engel has missed the first two months of the year with a right hamstring strain. Hamilton has been among the depth outfielders the Sox have relied upon in center without Luis Robert and Engel. Over 75 plate appearances, the speedy Hamilton is hitting .217/.247/.406 with a pair of home runs.
Yadier Molina Leaves Game Due To Left Knee Contusion
Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina made an early exit from today’s game due to a left knee contusion. Reds shortstop Kyle Farmer sent a foul tip off of Molina’s kneecap in the top of the fourth inning, though Molina remained in the game after taking a few moments to walk the pain off. Andrew Knizner then pinch-hit for Molina in the bottom half of the inning.
It remains to be seen if Molina’s contusion is a day-to-day situation (and an injury not uncommon for a catcher), or if it’s an injury that may require more time off, or an injured-list placement. Molina already missed 11 games this season on the 10-day IL due to a tendon strain in his right foot.
Molina is hitting .277/.314/.493 over 159 plate appearances, with much of that damage coming prior to his IL visit. He hit a scorching .323/.366/.631 over his first 71 PA, and the veteran backstop has perhaps unsurprisingly cooled off after that big start.
Cardinals Place Kwang Hyun Kim, Justin Williams On 10-Day IL
The Cardinals have placed left-hander Kwang Hyun Kim and outfielder Justin Williams on the 10-day injured list, manager Mike Shildt told reporters. Kim left his start last night due to lower back tightness, while Williams is dealing with a stiff neck. Righty Angel Rondon (as reported earlier today) and first baseman John Nogowski have been called up from Triple-A to fill the roster spots.
A similar back problem sidelined Kim during Spring Training and kept him from making his 2021 debut until April 17. The 32-year-old’s second Major League season has been pretty solid, as Kim has overcome some lackluster peripheral numbers to post a 4.05 ERA/4.25 SIERA over 40 innings of work. Kim’s current injury doesn’t seem as serious as his earlier injury, Shildt told MLB.com’s Katie Woo and other reporters, so the team is hoping a minimal 10-day stint will correct the issue.
A quick return from Kim would certainly help a St. Louis rotation that is already without Jack Flaherty and Miles Mikolas due to injuries. Johan Oviedo is slated to start today, and Shildt said that Rondon will be used as a long reliever for the time being. The Cardinals have off-days on both Monday and Thursday this week, so if Kim is indeed only out for 10 days, the team might not need a replacement starter at all.
Injuries in the outfield have led to a lot of playing time for Williams this season, as he has appeared in 51 of the Cardinals’ 58 games. Williams is hitting only .160/.270/.261 in 137 plate appearances, and when combined with some below-average defense, Williams has been a sub-replacement level (-0.8 fWAR) performer. Prior to this season, Williams had appeared is only four MLB games over parts of two seasons with St. Louis and Tampa Bay.
Cardinals To Promote Angel Rondon
The Cardinals are promoting right-hander Angel Rondon to the active roster prior to today’s game with the Reds, according to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat (via Twitter). Rondon is already on the 40-man roster, and the corresponding move to add him to the active roster isn’t yet known.
An international signing from the Dominican Republic in 2016, Rondon is set to make his big league debut at age 23. He has a 3.15 ERA and 22.8% strikeout rate over 371 innings in the minors, though he has a 5.32 ERA over 23 2/3 innings at Triple-A Memphis this season, which marked his first taste of Triple-A action. Most of Rondon’s struggles at Triple-A, however, came in his first two starts, and he has been solid enough over his last three outings that the Cards will give him a look in the majors.
It’s quite possible that first look could come in the starting rotation, given the Cardinals’ injury problems. Jack Flaherty and Miles Mikolas are both on the injured list, and Kwang Hyun Kim made an early departure from last night’s game due to back tightness. Rondon could be used as a long reliever until more is known about Kim’s status, and if Kim also has to hit the IL, Rondon can slide right into the rotation.
MLB Pipeline ranks the right-hander as the 10th-best prospect in the St. Louis farm system, citing Rondon’s curveball and fastball as plus pitches. That heater can hit 97mph but usually sits in the mid-90’s, and Pipeline’s scouting report notes that Rondon’s “delivery creates natural deception, which often helps his fastball play above its velocity.”
NL Central Notes: Wong, Cardinals, Pirates
Brewers second baseman Kolten Wong left last night’s game after three innings due to a left oblique strain, after striking out swinging in what ended up as his final at-bat of the game. Brewers manager Craig Counsell told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy and other reporters that “at this point, it’s day to day. It’s not bad, but it’s concerning because it’s the same spot” that Wong previously felt a strain earlier this season. That initial oblique issue sent Wong to the injured list and caused him to miss 11 games in April.
Wong has been a strong part of Milwaukee’s success this season, delivering his usual stellar glovework at second base while hitting .280/.343/.441 (114 OPS+, 115 wRC+) over 178 plate appearances. Ideally, Wong could avoid the IL altogether, but even another relatively minimal absence would count as a minor victory considering how oblique injuries can often be longer-term problems. Keston Hiura, Luis Urias, or Daniel Robertson are fill-in options at second base if Wong indeed has to miss significant time, but none can match Wong’s all-around contributions.
Some more injury updates from around the NL Central…
- With Miles Mikolas and Jordan Hicks both on the injured list, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told reporters (including Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat) said the “best case” scenario is to have both right-handers back in August. Mikolas is roughly 3-5 weeks from being re-evaluated after receiving a stem cell injection as he works his way back from forearm tightness, while Hicks is out until at least July 1 after being placed on the 60-day IL due to elbow inflammation. Given that both hurlers have had significant long-term injury absences prior to these current health issues, the Cards will surely be as cautious as possible in bringing either Mikolas or Hicks back into action, despite the team’s pitching needs.
- Max Moroff is considering surgery to address his ailing left shoulder, after the Cardinals infielder went on the 10-day IL with a shoulder subluxation last week. If Moroff doesn’t opt for surgery, he’ll still be out of action for at least 4-6 weeks.
- Pirates GM Ben Cherington hinted last week that outfield prospect Travis Swaggerty was leaning towards shoulder surgery, and the team announced yesterday (hat tip to The Athletic’s Rob Biertempfel) that Swaggerty indeed went under the knife and will miss the rest of the season. Swaggerty is expected to be fully recovered in roughly five months, though it’s still a tough setback for the 10th overall pick of the 2018 draft.
- Jose Soriano has also hit an injury speedbump, as the Pirates right-hander experienced “recurrent elbow discomfort” while on a minor league rehab assignment. Soriano underwent Tommy John surgery in February 2020, though the Bucs still picked him off the Angels’ roster with the first pick in last December’s Rule 5 draft. Despite the missed time, MLB Pipeline still ranked Soriano 24th among all Pirates prospect, highlighting his 70-grade fastball and a 55-grade curve.
Cardinals Activate Andrew Miller, Designate Tyler Webb
The Cardinals announced they’re activating lefty reliever Andrew Miller from the 10-day injured list. Fellow southpaw Tyler Webb was designated for assignment to clear active roster space. Webb’s designation also creates a vacancy on St. Louis’ 40-man roster, which now sits at 39.
Miller has been out since April 30 due to a blister on his right foot. The 36-year-old got off to a poor start before the injury, allowing seven runs with eight strikeouts and four walks over 7 1/3 innings. Perhaps more worrisome, Miller’s raw stuff looks to have taken a significant step back. He averaged just 87.2 MPH on his four-seam fastball and 77.8 MPH on his slider in the season’s first month, down more than two ticks on both offerings relative to last season and nowhere near the mid-90s heater and mid-80s breaking ball he had at his dominant peak.
Despite the diminished stuff, Miller was a decent bullpen option as recently as 2020. He tossed 13 frames of 2.77 ERA/3.41 SIERA ball last year, continuing to miss bats at a quality rate. The St. Louis front office evidently felt he’d be a better second lefty bullpen option (behind Génesis Cabrera) than Webb.
Given how Webb has started the year, that’s certainly a reasonable belief. The 30-year-old has had a nightmarish campaign, allowing a whopping 26 runs (24 earned) over his first 16 1/3 innings. Webb has seemingly lost his control of the strike zone, issuing nineteen free passes while striking out just fourteen. Webb’s 20.7% walk rate is tied for fourth-highest among the 451 pitchers to have thrown at least ten MLB innings this season.
Webb is out of minor league option years, so the Cards could only continue to let him work through his control issues at the major league level or designate him for assignment. Ultimately, the front office made the decision to remove him from the 40-man roster. That’s no doubt a bitter pill to swallow given that Webb pitched to a strong 2.08 ERA/4.22 SIERA just last season. The Cardinals will now have a week to trade him or place him outright waivers.
Cardinals To Place Jack Flaherty On 10-Day Injured List With “Significant” Oblique Injury
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.