Tommys having an incredible season for us right now at second, Mozeliak said. I feel like collectively, as an organization, we were positive and patient through that process. In 77 MLB games last season, he hit .157 with six home runs and 25 RBIs -- prompting the offseason work to change his approach at the plate. The Cardinals could take both Yepez and Motter on their Opening Day roster, with Yepez manning the bench bat role and Motter being used as a utility man when needed. Winn, Wednesdays starter, is batting .276 with an .870 OPS this spring. DeJong, now 29 with five years of MLB service time, homered in his first big league at-bat in Colorado back in 2017. Pauly D gives the #STLCards the lead with a two-run double! Yeah, it's not ideal, Marmol said after the Cards' 4-1 win over the Mets on Wednesday. Maybe we should have expected the unexpected at the end of this game. But I just got to keep going. Still, Mozeliak is hesitant to act on an impulse without at least vetting other options. And the Cardinals talked a lot about how he had to compete for his spot on the roster out of Spring Training. As you can imagine, the pressure of playing at this level, especially in this city where winning is demanded, its tough. His flyball rate was 36.4%. ". He went three for four with a homer and no Ks. On Twitter, Cardinals insider Jeff Jones provided an update on where things stand and revealed what manager Oli Marmol had to say about the matter. Paul DeJong was one of three St. Louis Cardinals players who began the 2023 season on the injured list. But as has been the case for much of the past three seasons with DeJong, little has gone perfectly for the onetime All-Star shortstop. Tommy Edman will be the clubs starting shortstop this season, and while the Cardinals have a plethora of versatile infielders, DeJong was the most serviceable option at shortstop behind Edman. But Im just thankful for my chance to be here still, and I'm just going to do what I can every day until I hear anything else.. Hes hitting better now. Holmes unleashed a 95 mph sinker that caught a little too much of the plate. Get ALL the latest MLB news straight to your inbox! RHP Jack Flaherty (1-2, 2.95 ERA): The last time Flaherty took the mound for the Cardinals, he threw a season-high six innings and allowed a season-high four runs on four hits against Arizona on April 17. In a move long overduethough jarring, nonethelessthe Cardinals demoted Paul DeJong, optioning the shortstop to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday. St. Louis Cardinals' Paul DeJong bats during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday, April 9, 2022, in St. Louis. Making his caseA day after Dakota Hudson took a step backward in the battle for the Cardinals sixth starter/swingman job, right-hander Jake Woodford may have sealed his case to head north with the team in that spot. Part of me wants to see progress in there. The club needs a backup shortstop who can spell Edman against some righties without sacrificing much defense for a contact-oriented pitching staff. JUPITER, Fla. -- The Cardinals received some roster clarity Monday, when shortstop Paul DeJong suffered a setback in his return from lower back pain that has kept him off the field for the better part of the past week. FRANKIE MONTAS TRADE GRADES: How did Yanks, A's fare? Hes struck out just 11. He spent most of the offseason at the Cards' Florida complex reworking his swing, then he hit .154 with one homer and six walks across 19 plate appearances in Grapefruit League play. I can't touch my toes. Use it to create a different version of DeJong whose simplified approach to getting the bat to the ball could lead him to more balls in play in good places and a more sustainable offensive model. DeJong, who hit at least 19 home runs in each . The starting shortstop job was DeJongs to win back, and a promising spring campaign one where DeJong felt like (himself) again seemed to indicate this would be the season where he would turn it around. I know it's a long season, so I'm just going to do what I got to do each day, and eventually it'll be good enough to be out there on the field again and show what I can do.. Even though the past can provide hints and suggestions as to what might happen, the past does not absolutely dictate the future. The righty is expected to throw around 75 pitches in the outing. He homered in the second game of the year, and then only had two extra-base hits both doubles the rest of the month. After that first hiccup, though, Holmes didnt allow a run the rest of the month. Try to go the other way. He is then expected to advance through light throwing. Cardinals 2, Dodgers 2. I think the ability to go down there and have a reset is important, but hes going to have to actually make physical change so that the result looks different.. It doesnt mean he was pleased with it but he understood it.. In May, Holmes did not allow a single run. After struggling mightily immediately after his demotion, DeJong seems to have . He missed the beginning of the campaign with a back injury but has started four of the . He ended up with just 40 PAs at Memphis. I dont know if that was a strategic decision. What Holmes has been most of the season was not what he was Friday night. Infielder who was a fourth round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2015 MLB Draft. But his weakness is against right-handed pitching. They will change a bat. DeJong barely had any time this spring and hit the IL on Opening Day to both rehab his back and get in some Spring Training before roster mechanics forced the club to activate him. USE OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OUR TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY. With so many internal infield options at both the major- and minor-league levels, the Cardinals want to be sure theyve exhausted all their options before resorting to a major roster change. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. last time Flaherty took the mound for the Cardinals, he threw a season-high six innings and allowed a season-high four runs on four hits against Arizona on April 17. We have even seen batters try to switch sides. Cardinals Insider Provides Positive Adam Wainwright Update. We cant if Tommys at second, and we dont want to just move Tommy over there without a strategic plan for that transition.. The Cardinals activated shortstop Paul DeJong on Sunday ahead of their road series finale against the Mariners. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) / He emerged from those sessions with a more balanced swing, newly confident that he could get back to being the player who smashed 74 home runs from 2017-19, finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in '17 and played in the All-Star Game in '19. Sent down to . Which makes him a candidate to be traded or even designated for assignment. But its highly possible that DeJong has played his last game in St. Louis, which would be the latest sign that the Cardinals middle infield of the future will feature Edman at shortstop and Gorman at second base. DeJong, meanwhile, has been better in Triple-A, but is still struggling as hes hitting only .189/.244/.243 with a .487 OPS in 41 plate appearances. Taylor Motter, a non-roster invite who spent time with the Reds organization last year, could also be under consideration as the Cardinals look to pin down their Opening Day roster by next week. He wasn't much better last . SEATTLE -- Shortstop Paul DeJong, whose career has been marred by shocking struggles much of the past three seasons, is headed back to the Cardinals and could be activated as soon as Sunday, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Saturday. Its probably a combination of all three. From 20-22, DeJongs whiffs rose. DeJong, who hit at least 19 home runs in each of his first three MLB seasons before seeing his batting average plummet to below .200 the past two years, will be activated following rehab stints with Single-A Palm Beach and Triple-A Memphis. I think a simplified offensive approach with a few more liners and probably the same percentage of Ks should help him do that. At least not very often. He was sent out as Brendan Donovans play began to demand a starters workload. What made it noteworthy was that it was DeJong's 9th home run in the last 12 games. Remove a leg kick. Curt is a massive fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and MLB. Ranking the 10 worst contracts in the National League Central. They locked up their guy, hoping and believing that he would at least be an above-average hitter and they had faith they could teach him how to play the position defensively. His breaking and offspeed rates soared. St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong talks with the media at the Winter Warm-Up. Unsubscribe at any time. And even if he does, its possible that he has played his last game in a Cardinals uniform. Wondering how the Memphis crew is pitching to see if they can pitch better? He released a statement to The Athletic through his agent, Burton Rocks, on Thursday evening. MLB home run leader Aaron Judge smashed a baseball with an exit velocity of 116.9 mph in the first inning, but he hit the ball right at St. Louis left fielder Tyler ONeill, who caught it and somehow avoided any broken fingers. Heres how Mozeliak and manager Oli Marmol answered: When the Cardinals embarked for Kansas City and San Francisco last week, there was already a heavy sense of pressure mounting on DeJong, who posted a mere .247 on-base percentage through the month of April. That certainly didnt base that decision on performance. Paul DeJong is looking to bounce back in 2023. Practically giddy over what they hoped they had developed, the Cardinals inked DeJong to a regrettable arbitration buy-out deal. I do think other teams had some interest; he could have been moved. Marmol and Mozeliak met with the rest of the staff on the teams charter flight back to St. Louis from San Francisco on Sunday night and agreed to contemplate the best move for the organization over the teams scheduled off day Monday. But the math wasnt going to work. The Cardinals' west coast road trip takes them to San Francisco next where they will open up a four-series against the Giants on Monday. But it would make this club better. You would be hard-pressed to find two players following more divergent paths in the 2022 season. Physically he stated he had been feeling good, really since he got to Memphis. While his crisp defense bought him an extended leash to figure things out at the plate, by Tuesday morning the organization had come to the decision to send DeJong to the minors. After an All-Star season in 2019, DeJongs offensive performance has slipped steadily over the last three years. DeJong went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and six RBIs on Friday for Memphis, boosting his batting average to .353 and his OPS to 1.068 in nine games. I am sure that little splits-oriented nuance is part of the reason the club decided fairly early in the offseason to bring him back. The veteran shortstop rejoined the team on its taxi squad Friday in the nation's capital, following a 2 1/2-month demotion to Triple-A Memphis. He will be reevaluated after that start and would be considered for a return to the majors. John Denton. Maybe they had a plan to fix him? Flaherty has struck out 17 batters and walked 17 in 21 1/3 innings. He emerged from those sessions with a more balanced swing, newly confident that he could get back to being the player who smashed 74 home runs from 2017-19, finished second in National League Rookie . The . I would argue that outside of his often-cited, never duplicated rookie season, his former production levels arent all that exciting. Holmes started the season with a prominent role in the Yankees' bullpen. Believing in my stuff, and knowing that it's small tweaks at this point. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. He has impressed the club with his development of a new slider this spring and has had excellent results in Grapefruit League play, pitching to a 2.04 ERA with an 18/5 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 17 2/3 innings. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Across a span of eight games to open May, DeJong went 3-for-26. I still believe in Tommy Edmans defense. DeJong has been dealing with a back issue, while Wilking Rodriguez is out with a shoulder issue and Adam Wainwright is recovering from a groin injury. Andrew Knizner will be Flahertys batterymate as Willson Contreras is slotted into his regular five spot in the lineup as the Cardinals designated hitter. Gorman will start at second and bat third behind leadoff hitter Lars Nootbaar and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. The result was a league-average player with improving defense. He had clubbed just three doubles and one home run. The Cardinals will send right-hander Jack Flaherty to the mound as they look to avoid a sweep vs. Seattle in the first leg of their three-city, west coast road trip. Flaherty has struck out 17 batters and walked 17 in 21 1/3 innings. LHP Packy Naughton (left forearm strain): Since going on the 15-day IL, Naughton has continued a rest program to see how his arm responds. I'll explain more in a forthcoming story @TheAthleticSTL pic . That new stance seemed to be paying off for DeJong in early March when he hit a long home run off the batters eye against the Nationals. His absence should enhance the opportunity for several players battling for the final bench spot, potentially creating a path to the Opening Day roster for outfielders Alec Burleson and Juan Yepez or utility man Taylor Motter. If were being very honest, an 85-100 wRC+ player with some power and quality defense is about as good as we were going to get for a backup SS position. Paul DeJong, just three years after being an All-Star with the St. Louis Cardinals, is playing for the Memphis Redbirds, hoping to turn career around. Over his four starts this season, Flexen has allowed 22 hits and 15 runs in 17 1/3 innings. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. His flyball rate soared and he began to center his offensive approach around the one thing he could do well: drive the ball out of ballparks. In the process, hes outpitched Hudson considerably. (Last updated: April 18), Monday vs. San Francisco: LHP Jordan Montgomery (2-2, 4.84) vs. TBA, Tuesday vs. San Francisco: RHP Jake Woodford 1-2, 6.05) vs. TBA, Wednesday vs. San Francisco: LHP Steven Matz (0-3, 6.55) vs. TBA. He saw fewer and fewer pitches in the zone. He was optioned to Triple A last May after hitting .130 over the first 24 games of the year. The Cardinals couldnt justify waiting any longer. DeJong has started in his place over the last three games. When youre putting a player on rehab, its about: Do you feel good? I asked if it DeJong would be here once hes healthy, and Marmol said they want to get to that point first and see where things are at before making that determination. Wainwright made a rehab appearance on Wednesday with Class AA Springfield and completed three innings, allowing two runs on four hits. This was dubbed a critical spring for DeJong, coming off a season in which the 2019 All-Star hit .157 and spent more than two months at Triple-A Memphis. After a fun week of reminiscence, thats exactly what happened. Once he cools off, hell settle right back in as the same hitter he was before and thats not a major league player, regardless of his defense. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. I thought Clay threw the ball a lot better and was in command of what he was doing, for the most part.". Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong fouls a ball off his left foot while taking batting practice on Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, at the club's spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. (CT) at T-Mobile Park. St. Louis Cardinals' Paul DeJong (11) and Lars Nootbaar (21) celebrate a 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees following of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, in St. Louis. CHICAGO -- The ever-sturdy, ever-reliable Paul DeJong has been such a constant in Cardinals lineups since he debuted in 2017 that the club has stressed the need to simply find their shortstop a breather over the course of this campaign and those of the past. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). He struggled through an injury- and illness-plagued 2020 and then saw his batting average plummet to .197 in 2021. His highest HR/FB% in the majors 19.8% came during his rookie year. SEATTLE -- Shortstop Paul DeJong, whose career has been marred by shocking struggles much of the past three seasons, is headed back to the Cardinals and could be activated as soon as Sunday, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Saturday. When he's not writing sports articles, you can find him playing MLB The Show, watching Cardinals games, and scrolling through Star Wars memes. DeJong signed a six-year deal with the Cardinals worth $26 million back in 2018, and he is pressed to have a good performance this year if he wants St. Louis to have his 2024 club option ($12.5 million) picked up. MORE:Cardinals bolster pitching staff in deadline deal with Pirates for Quintana. DeJong is back. This game is about production, Mozeliak said. I dont think its a bad thing for him to pull the ball more. (Last updated: April 21), RHP Wilking Rodriguez (shoulder): Rodriguez began a rehab assignment on Thursday with Class AAA Memphis where he pitched a scoreless inning of relief and struck out one batter. Paul DeJong was at bat for the home club. He made his MLB debut in 2017. If Sosa doesnt seize the opportunity, Edman may be forced to slot over to shortstop and refine his skills on the fly. With 1.5 years left on his six-year, $26 million contract, it feels rather improbable that he sees extended time in the majors with St. Louis. DeJong, a former All-Star, struggled mightily last year. Some fans want him DFAed and forgotten forever. Sign up to comment on articles, engage with fellow sports fans, and contribute to high-quality discussions. DeJong, who has been the clubs starting shortstop since 2017 and is signed through 2023 on a six-year, $26 million contract, was 10-for-77 with a meager .417 OPS through 24 games. A World Series winner as a player and the big, booming voice of summer as a broadcaster, St. Louis native spent more than 50 years as a champi, Walker was not in the internal lineup Wednesday for a third consecutive day, and the reason: He's being demoted to Class AAA. Despite the All-Star appearance, and the 30-homer season. He did not allow a single walk. However, after more late-season regression, DeJong decided to tear his batting stance down and start from scratch. As a corresponding move, the club selected infielder Kramer Robertson from Memphis, and he reported to Busch Stadium ahead of the Cardinals matchup against the visiting Orioles. Youre never looking at rehabs solely on performance, but he has been playing well, Mozeliak said. The Yankees led 3-2. I think theres an adjustment to be made both physically and mentally, he added. In order for Gorman to be used effectively, he would need to also see ample reps at second base, a position he has played professionally for just over a year. Hes considerably better against righties than lefties. Over his four starts this season, Flexen has allowed 22 hits and 15 runs in 17 1/3 innings. Since hes been here, hes put together quality at-bats. This was dubbed a critical spring for DeJong, coming off a season in which the 2019 All-Star hit .157 and spent more than two months at Triple-A Memphis. He was selected by the Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2015 MLB draft. He and Tommy Edman were also taking reps at shortstop before batting practice. In May, DeJong played just eight games for the Cardinals, batting .115 with a .297 OPS. Exciting. In AAA, his combined fly ball and infield fly ball rate was 65%. As we look forward to his 23 season, even in this very early season sample size, we can draw some notable parallels with his lamentable 22 season. Give DeJong some credit. @ zachsilver. "Tough inning. However, the Cardinals' plans to showcase DeJong fizzled almost from the start when he was unable to play shortstop because of a case of arm fatigue. With Edman playing for South Korea in the WBC and DeJong nursing an injury, an unexpected opportunity has emerged for Masyn Winn, the No. The combination would be another collapse. He hit fewer fly balls. DeJong swung the bat well enough at Triple-A to get back to St. Louis, where he had home runs in his first two games and drove in the winning run with a double against the Yankees a few days later. He made his MLB debut in May 2017 and was named July's NL Rookie of the Month that same season. Donovan was in Tuesdays starting lineup at shortstop, becoming the first MLB player in the modern era (since 1900) to start at four different infield positions in the first four starts of his career. An outfield in flux. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. Get viral MLB graphics, memes, rumors and trending news delivered right to your inbox with the Clutch Newsletter. Cardinals Paul DeJong avoids . DeJong had begun spring training on a good note after reworking his swing in the offseason. Given his recent struggles in previous years, there may not be a clear path back for the former slugger. Yes, he put more balls into play and his slash line was reminiscent of his more average MLB seasons. Try a week on us. A nightly look at the day\'s top sports stories, and a first look at the topics St. Louis fans will be talking about tomorrow. Others want to believe he can get back to his All-Star self. The Cardinals must make a roster move to activate DeJong, and the team is still weighing that decision. (Last updated: April 21), LHP Packy Naughton (left forearm strain): Since going on the 15-day IL, Naughton has continued a rest program to see how his arm responds. He struck out three and threw a total of 59 pitches (40 strikes). Check back in at stltoday.comthroughout the afternoon and evening for coverage of the game. Its not for lack of familiarity, Marmol explained. With a little more than two weeks remaining before St. Louis opens the regular season, DeJong is still sitting on 19 plate appearances and 13 at-bats in what was tabbed as a make-or-break Spring Training for him. The Cardinals are 3-6 through their first nine games. What DeJong has been most of the season was not what he was Friday night. Weve seen BABIP-fueled power surges from him before. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Could Paul DeJong provide a 94 wRC+ or better against primarily right-handed pitchers while giving Edman time off to stay fresh defensively? They all try a lot of things. By the end of April, he was batting just .137. Pauly's feeling better, but he'll be sidelined for a few days as [his lower back] mainly hurts when he's bending over for ground balls, but rotation -- as far as his swing -- not so much, Marmol said. His xBA (expected batting average) of .158 ranked in the bottom percent of the entire league. Try to pull the ball more. Paul DeJong wears a mask when he is in public. Its those old habits that I want to take a look at today. During his rehab assignment, Paul DeJong (back) batted .302 and produced a .900 OPS in 12 games between Class Low-A and Class AAA. By the middle of the month, he was the closer for the Yankees, the team that just didnt seem to lose. Thats why taking the time to start becoming comfortable with a possible transition now is so imperative. In June, DeJong spent days, then weeks, then the entire month in the minors. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. His power never returned to his rookie form and his poor contact ability tanked his BABIP. Stream: https://t.co/JyFc2efJXn pic.twitter.com/8QgBfaVWr9, "DeJong put a great swing on one and really hurt him, obviously," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the game. abandoned houses scotland, diana simms biography,
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