Holmes started the season with a prominent role in the Yankees' bullpen. Seeing fewer of them in the zone and doing less with the ones he saw by focusing on fly balls caused his production to collapse. Marmol said that the Cardinals want to see where things stand towards the end of DeJongs rehab assignment to make an official decision on the matter, as well as the former All-Stars future with the organization. Its been a frustrating spring, because I didn't get to play the field right away and now I can't finish it off, DeJong said. It became pretty clear that the club had soured on moving him. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. He will see more balls land in good places if he can turn on them than if he tries to drive them with pop the other direction. Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong aggravated his lower back taking ground balls before Mondays exhibition game against the Marlins and will likely miss the opening of the 2023 season. It's a fine line between competing and working on stuff, Woodford said. 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. 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 seemed very likely that once DeJong started facing the worlds best pitching again, his K rate would climb back up to 30%. All-Star shortstop Paul DeJong apologized to Cardinals fans for his minor-league demotion, vowing to come back "stronger than ever" when he returns from Triple-A Memphis. Thats why taking the time to start becoming comfortable with a possible transition now is so imperative. Practically giddy over what they hoped they had developed, the Cardinals inked DeJong to a regrettable arbitration buy-out deal. I guess in the back of my mind, I felt like I wasn't fully there, DeJong said. Can we get him at-bats here? Marmol asked hypothetically. For me, its about breaking every situation down and not getting ahead of myself, DeJong said. 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. Unsubscribe at any time. He also dabbles in college hoops and other sports. We have even seen batters try to switch sides. Perhaps most importantly, he has only struck out twice. But it would make this club better. Could DeJong do that again? How will the Cardinals cover shortstop? But the back issue flared up Tuesday, preventing DeJong from fully bending down to field grounders. If you don't, you might want to follow his lead. He has 1967 plate appearances of 92 wRC+ since his rookie season. His contact levels would drop again. 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 has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year. I knew if I did my job down there, I would get a chance back up here. The ball will tell you whats going on. St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong talks with the media at the Winter Warm-Up. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Hes not giving away at-bats and has a really selective eye at the plate. Though DeJong has amassed a 0.5 bWAR on the year, he was hitting just .177 with a .648 OPS and seven homers when he went on the IL. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) Paul DeJong was one of three St. Louis Cardinals players who began the 2023 season on the injured list.. 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.. This is a truth proven over and over again on a nightly basis, of course, in ways both subtle and obvious. "When I first got down there, I was anticipating when I would be coming back, but as time went on I was just focusing on playing the game down there. Latest on St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN Instead, DeJong has spent the spring hampered by minor injuries. As a result, Taylor Motter was selected to be the Cardinals utility infielder out of spring training. (, Rodriguez began a rehab assignment on Thursday with Class AAA Memphis where he pitched a scoreless inning of relief and struck out one batter. Its a revitalized feeling.. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. (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. Then, when Sosa was moved, DeJong returned to the majors to give it another go. We can divide DeJongs 2022 season into five very unequal sections: April 7 May 8: .130/.209/.208, with a 29.1% K rate, 8.1% BB rate, and a 24 wRC+, May 9 July 29 in AAA: .249/.313/.552, with a 22.6% K rate, 8.7% BB rate, and a 118 wRC+, July 30 August 14: .292/.375/.646, with a 30% K rate, 10.7% BB rate and a 182 wRC+, August 15 end of season: .106/.200/.153, with a 38.9% K rate, 8.4% BB rate, and a 9 wRC+. Obviously, its still very early in the season. Instead, the expectation is Gorman will face off against right-handed starting pitching, either as the designated hitter or at second base. The shortstop, who was demoted to Triple-A last year following two-plus seasons of hitting struggles, homered in his first game back with the Cardinals on July 30. So, back to Fridays game. The . He started to hit home runs with much more regularity, though, including six in a nine-game stretch that also included 18 RBIs. His expected slugging percentage (.268) didnt fare much better, coming in at the bottom 2 percent. The hope is that DeJong can hit the reset button in multiple facets of his game; one being from a production standpoint and the other stemming from changing his mentality. The combination would be another collapse. Maybe we should have expected the unexpected at the end of this game. He played college baseball at the Illinois State University. At that point, I thought its best for Pauly to go down and try to figure it out at a level where theres not the extra pressure, and its best for our club from a production standpoint to have someone at short.. Maybe they just really like a very likable player that theyve worked with for a decade and wanted to give him another chance? Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. What worked for DeJong during his long period in Memphis? That certainly didnt base that decision on performance. Tommys having an incredible season for us right now at second, Mozeliak said. John Denton. I'll explain more in a forthcoming story @TheAthleticSTL pic . 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His homerun per flyball rate was 23.9% a high rate built on offense-oriented minor league ballparks and developing pitchers with sketchy command. 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. DeJong was the subject of much speculation in the offseason, but the club stuck with him as its starting shortstop entering the season. Donovan and Corey Dickerson are the primary left-handed bench bats for now, and Juan Yepezs fantastic start to his career has limited Gormans opportunity to be strictly a designated hitter. Cardinals Insider Provides Positive Adam Wainwright Update. DeJong went 3-for-4 with a home run against the Seattle Mariners on Monday in his first game back from a back injury to help the Cardinals score a 7-3 victory on the road. Wainwright is scheduled to make a second rehab start with Springfield, which will come on the road at Wichita. A day after DeJong was scratched from the lineup because of back pain, Cardinals manager Oli Marmol revealed that the shortstop will be sidelined for a few days with discomfort that prevents him from bending over to field grounders. DeJong had missed the last few games due to lower back tightness but was targeting a return to game action by Tuesday. That season he managed a .194 IS0 but a wRC+ of just 85. He was finally called back up at the end of July and homered in each of his first two games before going 1 for 9 in the three-game set against the Cubs to open August. Wainwright made a rehab appearance on Wednesday with Class AA Springfield and completed three innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Its hard for me to say that anything worked. But his weakness is against right-handed pitching. Wainwright is scheduled to make a second rehab start with Springfield, which will come on the road at Wichita. The journeyman Motter, who has opened eyes with his versatility and power this spring, is the only member of that group capable of playing the middle infield. I think a simplified offensive approach with a few more liners and probably the same percentage of Ks should help him do that. DeJong, a former All-Star, struggled mightily last year. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Cardinals vs. Dodgers Recap: April 30, 2023, St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers - A game thread for April 30, 2023, Cardinals cant crack Kershaw, fall to Dodgers 1-0. The at-bats just looked the same, he explained. I believe he (or someone like him) has a necessary role to play on this club. On Sunday, in his first game back after spending much of the past . However, Sosa will have a legitimate shot to win the job outright once he returns from the COVID-19 IL, which is likely to come by Thursday. In June, DeJong spent days, then weeks, then the entire month in the minors. The Cardinals would likely have to take a loss on the deal, but I didnt see any way that they would bring him back. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. He was never very good at recognizing and driving non-fastballs. 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. Video by Derrick Goold. 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. Yet through the last two seasons, DeJong hasnt been able to regain that form. 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. I do think other teams had some interest; he could have been moved. Yes, he has a 118 wRC+. Weve seen BABIP-fueled power surges from him before. Yesterday, in the 4th inning of a 2-0 game, Paul DeJong hit a 2-run homer to put the Memphis Redbirds up 4-0. DeJong will share the middle infield on Sunday with Nolan Gorman. What does that mean for Calif.? 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. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Jeff Chiu/AP Show More Show Less 2 of 9 St. Louis Cardinals' Alec Burleson, right, is congratulated by Paul DeJong (11) after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game . In the 2022 MLB season, the one-time All-Star hit just .157 to go with a .245 OBP and .285 SLG. Gorman, 22, has flashed the tantalizing skills that have made both Cardinals and rival executives gush over his abilities, as he is slashing .385/.500/.539 with a 1.039 OPS in his first 16 plate appearances. Prior to joining The Athletic, Katie spent two years covering the minor leagues as an editorial producer for MiLB.com and spent the 2018 MLB season covering the San Diego Padres as an associate reporter for MLB.com. 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. Juan Yepez, who looks to be on the outside looking in in terms of the outfield, remains under consideration for a pinch-hit role as well. Thats worrisome. Coming off a 2022 season in which he hit .157 and was demoted to Triple-A Memphis on May 10, DeJong spent most of his offseason at the teams Florida complex reworking his approach at the plate. While in AAA, DeJong was up and down, displaying the same kinds of traits he has had for years in the majors with the added production bump from facing exclusively minor league arms. When youre putting a player on rehab, its about: Do you feel good? He will be reevaluated after that start and would be considered for a return to the majors. Paul DeJong steps into opportunity he might have 'dreaded' before and delivers big hit for Cardinals vs. Yankees, Four candidates to be this October's Jorge Soler/Eddie Rosario-type playoff hero, Aaron Judge pushes ahead of Yankees legends with torrid home run pace heading into August, New York lands OF Bader for SP Montgomery, Cardinals bolster pitching staff in deadline deal with Pirates for Quintana. Despite the All-Star appearance, and the 30-homer season. Yes, he put more balls into play and his slash line was reminiscent of his more average MLB seasons. He missed most of Spring Training with lower back discomfort. He made his MLB debut in May 2017 and was named July's NL Rookie of the Month that same season. El Nio is likely coming back. I have always wanted to make everyone proud and I plan on coming back stronger than ever.. Now that's what we call clutch! In 14 innings, he surrendered just eight hits while striking out 15. 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. That move is expected to come late Saturday night or before Sundays game. With five named starters and seven returning relievers, one of them appears ticketed to Memphis to begin the year. ", In July, Holmes made his first All-Star team. The 29-year-old baseball player was born in Orlando, Florida, USA. But he was still almost flyball-exclusive as a hitter. By the end of April, he was batting just .137. Those realities hid trouble coming. After an All-Star season in 2019, DeJong's offensive performance has slipped steadily over the last three years. Pauly D gives the #STLCards the lead with a two-run double! 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. Flaherty has struck out 17 batters and walked 17 in 21 1/3 innings. DeJong, who hit at least 19 home runs in each . Its probably a combination of all three. DeJong played college baseball for the Redbirds which is . So that part will be reduced. In July, DeJong was hit with a pitch and missed a few weeks. Try to go the other way. 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. Follow Katie on Twitter @katiejwoo, Cardinals roster projection 2.0: Who to watch with a week of spring training remaining, MLB spring training standouts: 10 young players who are impressing GMs, scouts. But that start ended with him allowing a homer, double, and a walk to the last three batters he faced to open up the seventh. And have you gotten ample amount of playing time to be prepared when called upon? Mozeliak said from T-Mobile Park on Saturday before the Cardinals faced the Mariners. Remove a leg kick. Prior to joining The Athletic, Katie spent two years covering the minor leagues as an editorial producer for MiLB.com and spent the 2018 MLB season covering the San Diego Padres as an associate reporter for MLB.com. The Yankees led 3-2. 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 . Tired of DeJong? It wasnt looking any better, so we made the move.. And for one at-bat in the bottom of the eighth inning of a contest between the Yankees and Cardinals, the result was anything but subtle. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Third baseman Nolan Arenado, who normally hits behind Goldschmidt, will bat behind Gorman. He has struck out 11 times, which is 26.8 percent of the time, and that is a number that is far too high. Physically he stated he had been feeling good, really since he got to Memphis. We certainly know whats happening with Nolan (Gorman) down in Memphis, but we dont want to necessarily move someone right away without some proper process and a way to get him some work before we eventually do that.. He and Tommy Edman were also taking reps at shortstop before batting practice. The most likely solution? (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. Zachary Silver. An All-Star as recently as 2019, DeJong has had a disastrous start to the year, batting an anemic .130 with 25 strikeouts in 86 plate appearances. Paul DeJong's age is 29. I mean, we knew that once we were going to explore other options at short, that this wasnt a move where you just play the other guy and Paul sits on the bench. Paul DeJong is looking to bounce back in 2023. After struggling mightily immediately after his demotion, DeJong seems to have . He released a statement to The Athletic through his agent, Burton Rocks, on Thursday evening. We know that he has changed his swing, simplified his approach at the plate, and had a big day ahead of his promotion. 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. 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 #11 of the St. Louis Cardinals up to bat against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on April 16, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. By Tuesday morning, DeJongs fate was decided. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. The Cardinals decided to call up Robertson and leave Gorman in Memphis for a multitude of reasons, with the top priority being playing time. The Cardinals activated shortstop Paul DeJong on Sunday ahead of their road series finale against the Mariners. Following an offseason spent reworking his swing, DeJong was limited to 13 at-bats during spring training because of a back injury. Before his back flared up, he was limited to hitting only during the first week of camp as he recovered from right arm soreness. We cant if Tommys at second, and we dont want to just move Tommy over there without a strategic plan for that transition.. Still, Mozeliak is hesitant to act on an impulse without at least vetting other options. He also hit just six home runs with 25 RBI across 77 games and 237 plate appearances. Its something that we the last couple of days have really been agonizing over, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said from the Cardinals dugout on Tuesday.

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