Top Cardinals News
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Cardinals' Andrew Knizner: Will open as backup catcher
Knizner will open the season as the Cardinals' backup catcher, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Knizner has gone just 4-for-42 (.095) through 14 games this spring in the Grapefruit League, but he still managed to fend off a challenge from Tres Barrera. It probably came down to experience in the end, as Knizner was the locked-in backup to Yadier Molina the last two years. He'll now fill the same role behind offseason addition Willson Contreras.
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Cardinals' Miles Mikolas: Lead candidate for Opening Day
Mikolas is the leading candidate to start on Opening Day for the Cardinals, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
The honor would have almost certainly gone to Adam Wainwright in what is expected to be his farewell MLB season, but it was announced Thursday that he will begin the year on the IL because of a groin strain. Mikolas was the most reliable starter for St. Louis throughout the 2022 campaign, working to a 3.29 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 202.1 regular-season innings. He'll make his final Grapefruit League start Friday night against the Nationals.
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Cardinals' Andre Pallante: Scoreless outing in return to team
Pallante allowed a walk and struck out one in a scoreless inning during Wednesday's Grapefruit League game versus the Marlins.
Pallante has a 4:2 K:BB over three scoreless innings for the Cardinals in spring training. The reliever is still considered part of the core of the bullpen, per John Denton of MLB.com. Pallante had a just alright showing for Italy at the World Baseball Classic, allowing two runs on three hits, six walks and a hit batsman while striking out two over four innings across three appearances. He's unlikely to be in the conversation for saves with Ryan Helsley and Giovanny Gallegos around, but Pallante could be a steady source of holds if he can maintain a high-leverage role.
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Cardinals' Anthony Misiewicz: Optioned to Memphis
Misiewicz was optioned to Triple-A Memphis by the Cardinals on Thursday.
Misiewicz was acquired from the Royals in early February in exchange for cash considerations and will function as left-handed relief depth in the minors to begin the 2023 campaign. He holds a career 4.43 ERA and 105:31 K:BB in 103.2 total innings at the MLB level.
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Cardinals' Jake Woodford: Sliding into rotation
Woodford is expected to begin the season in the Cardinals' rotation after Adam Wainwright was diagnosed with a groin strain Thursday, Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Wainwright is expected to miss several weeks, so Woodford could get a handful of starts. The young righty has had an excellent spring, showing more velocity while posting a 2.04 ERA and 18:5 K:BB across 17.2 frames. The lack of strikeout upside makes him a mostly unappealing fantasy option, but he could turn out to be useful for streaming purposes.
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Cardinals' Wilking Rodriguez: Headed for IL with tight shoulder
Rodriguez will begin the season on the injured list due to right shoulder tightness, Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The Rule 5 pick will be shut down for a week before being re-evaluated. Rodriguez has posted a 4.26 ERA and 6:3 K:BB over 6.1 innings this spring and had been in line for a middle-relief role.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Will start on IL with groin strain
Wainwright was diagnosed with a groin strain Thursday will begin the season on the injured list, Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Wainwright suffered the injury Tuesday during a workout with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. The injury is expected to sideline him for "several weeks," Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol told John Denton of MLB.com. Jake Woodford is likely to be Wainwright's rotation replacement.
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Cardinals' Tommy Edman: Under consideration at leadoff
Edman is expected to receive starts in the leadoff spot for the Cardinals this season, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Denton lists Edman, Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar as options for the leadoff spot. The switch-hitting Edman has dramatic splits with a career .829 OPS versus lefties and .701 OPS against righties. He could wind up batting leadoff when a southpaw is on the mound and drop to the No. 9 spot against right-handers.
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Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar: Expected to get look at leadoff
Nootbaar is under consideration for the Cardinals' leadoff spot, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan appear to be the likeliest candidates to bat leadoff against righties and might fill the 1-2 slots in some order. That would give them plenty of run-scoring opportunities with Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras behind them in the 3-4-5 spots. Tommy Edman is also in the mix at leadoff, although that might only be versus lefties.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Will see time in leadoff spot
Donovan will spent time in the leadoff spot for the Cardinals this season, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Manager Oliver Marmol on Wednesday wouldn't commit to any lineup spots beyond Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras as his 3-4-5 hitters, but it's expected that Donovan, Lars Nootbaar and Tommy Edman will get looks at the top of the order. It could be Donovan and Nootbaar in the top two spots against right-handers, although Tyler O'Neill also seems to be in the mix for the No. 2 spot. Donovan's on-base skills make him a natural fit at leadoff, and he's shown more pop this spring after re-tooling his stance.
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Cardinals' Willson Contreras: Likely to bat fifth
Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said Wednesday that Contreras is likely to bat fifth this season, Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Marmol added that Paul Goldschmidt will likely hit third, with Nolan Arenado handling cleanup duties. Brendan Donovan figures to serve as the primary leadoff man in most pitching matchups and Tyler O'Neill could open as the No. 2 hitter. Lars Nootbaar and Tommy Edman might regularly factor into that top-of-the-order mix as well. Contreras signed a five-year, $87.5 million contract with St. Louis in December and has posted a .367 batting average and .891 OPS through 33 plate appearances this spring in Grapefruit League play.
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Cardinals' Jordan Montgomery: Five scoreless vs. MIA
Montgomery hurled five scoreless innings in Wednesday's Grapefruit League start against the Marlins.
Montgomery allowed six hits in the outing, and he finished with just one strikeout while not issuing a walk. The left-hander came into the outing with a 7.71 ERA over his first two outings in Florida, so this would easily qualify as his best Grapefruit League effort. Montgomery pitched well in 2022 with a 3.48 ERA and 158:36 K:BB over 178.1 innings with the Cardinals and Yankees, and he is expected to slot into the middle of the St. Louis rotation to begin the 2023 campaign.
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Cardinals' Jack Flaherty: Stretches out to 90 pitches
Flaherty allowed two runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out four over 4.2 innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game versus the Nationals.
Flaherty put a bit too much traffic on the bases, which shortened his outing. He threw 57 of 90 pitches for strikes, which suggests that he's entering 2023 fully healthy and ready for a starter's workload after an injury-plagued 2022. The right-hander should get one more spring start before lining up to pitch in the opening series versus the Blue Jays.
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Cardinals' Paul Goldschmidt: Solid work at WBC
Goldschmidt hit .280 (7-for-25) with a home run, a double, five RBI and eight runs scored over seven games for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic.
While the Americans lost to Japan in Tuesday's final, Goldschmidt was a steady presence throughout the tournament. He'll now have about a week to get integrated back with the Cardinals as he puts the finishing touches on his preparation for the regular season. After slashing .317/.404/.578 with 35 homers, 115 RBI, 106 runs scored, seven stolen bases and 41 doubles last year, the first baseman remains a strong fantasy player entering his age-35 campaign.
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Cardinals' Tyler O'Neill: Back from stomach virus
O'Neill (illness) is starting in center field and batting second in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
The 27-year-old came down with a stomach virus upon his return from the World Baseball Classic, but he'll make his return to Grapefruit League action Wednesday. O'Neill struggled across his first six games of spring training, but he found his groove during WBC play and went 8-for-13 with two doubles and five walks.
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Cardinals' Dakota Hudson: Optioned to build up velocity
Cardinals manager Oli Marmol told reporters that Hudson was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday in part to help build back his velocity, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Marmol notes that Hudson has been working at 89-90 mph, and that isn't going to work at the highest level. "We believe there's a path forward, but the big leagues isn't the level to build that [velocity] up," Marmol said. Hudson has a good chance to make starts for the Cardinals in 2023, but he can safely be avoided in redraft formats at this point and profiles as more of a streaming option once with St. Louis.
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Cardinals' Andrew Suarez: Chance to make Opening Day roster
Cardinals manager Oli Marmol told reporters after Tuesday's game that Suarez has a chance to make the Opening Day roster after a strong showing in spring training, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Suarez threw 1.1 innings of scoreless baseball during Tuesday's Grapefruit League appearance, and he hasn't given up a run in his eight innings of work in Florida. Marmol notes that Suarez's velocity has ticked up in relief, and that he's getting hitters to make "defensive swings" on his fastball and breaking ball. The Cardinals will need to add Suarez to the 40-man roster in order to include him on the Opening Day roster, but it sounds like his work in the exhibition games has given St. Louis something to think about.
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Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Optioned to Triple-A level
Liberatore was optioned to Triple-A Memphis by the Cardinals on Tuesday.
St. Louis has enjoyed a fairly healthy spring, which means that Liberatore will head back to the minors to work on his craft. Adam Wainwright, Miles Mikolas, Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty and Steven Matz will make up the season-opening starting rotation for the reigning NL Central champs.
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Cardinals' Dakota Hudson: Optioned to Memphis
Hudson was optioned to Triple-A Memphis by the Cardinals on Tuesday.
Hudson had allowed six earned runs on 17 hits and four walks through 8.2 innings this spring in Grapefruit League play, which works out to a 6.23 ERA and 2.42 WHIP. The 28-year-old right-hander posted a 3.14 ERA across his first 249.2 major-league innings between 2018-2021, but the underlying metrics have always been poor and his stock continues to drastically tumble. He'll presumably work out of the rotation with Memphis.
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Cardinals' Tyler O'Neill: Expected back in lineup Wednesday
O'Neill (illness) is expected to return to Grapefruit League action Wednesday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
O'Neill came down with a stomach virus after returning from a strong stint with Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic, but he felt well enough to taking batting practice and shag flyballs Tuesday morning in Cardinals camp. The 27-year-old should be an everyday player out of the gate this season for St. Louis, whether in left field or center field. He's shaping up as a big-time bounceback candidate for 2023, assuming there is better luck on the health front.
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2022 Team Statistical Rankings
| Avg | R | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team |
.252 (10th) |
772 (5th) |
197 (9th) |
3.79 (10th) |
Injuries
| Player | Injury |
|---|---|
| N. Arenado 3B Nolan Arenado 3B | Hand |
| A. Wainwright SP Adam Wainwright SP | Groin |
| P. DeJong SS Paul DeJong SS | Back |
| W. Rodriguez RP Wilking Rodriguez RP | Shoulder |
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