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Drew Rom Drew Rom Setback with shoulder
Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 3:43 PM
Rom has been shut down from throwing after feeling soreness in his surgically repaired left shoulder during a recent bullpen session, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis: Rom had been considered fully recovered from the arthroscopic surgery he had last May but has now encountered a setback. He'll rest for a few days after being given a PRP injection before a decision is made regarding when he can resume throwing. Rom was removed from the Cardinals' 40-man roster earlier in the offseason but is in camp as a non-roster invitee. |
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Steven Matz Steven Matz Getting start for third spring game
Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 11:02 PM
Matz is scheduled to start the Cardinals' third spring training game Monday versus the Mets, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Matz is coming off an unproductive 2024 season in which he turned in a 5.08 ERA and 1.44 WHIP over 44.1 frames, with recurring back problems playing a part in his deflated innings count. The veteran lefty was deployed out of the bullpen for much of September, but with Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn reaching free agency this winter and the Cardinals not making any major offseason additions to the pitching staff, Matz should be in good position to open the season as the club's No. 5 starter. Matz is entering the final season of a four-year, $44 million contract and likely won't have much job security if he emerges from camp with a rotation spot. St. Louis has a pair of intriguing young pitching prospects in Quinn Mathews and Michael McGreevy waiting in the wings to step in if Matz falters or gets injured. |
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Erick Fedde Erick Fedde Getting ball for first spring game
Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 10:50 PM
Fedde is scheduled to start the Cardinals' Grapefruit League opener Saturday versus the Marlins, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Fedde is unlikely to cover more than one or two innings Saturday, but he'll get gradually stretched out during spring training and should be ready to handle a typical starter's workload when his first turn through the rotation of the regular season comes up. After returning stateside with a revamped repertoire in 2024 following a one-year stint in Korea, Fedde emerged as a viable mid-rotation arm between stops with the White Sox and Cardinals. Over his 31 starts, the 31-year-old right-hander submitted a 3.30 ERA and 1.16 WHIP while punching out 154 batters over 177.1 innings. |
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JoJo Romero JoJo Romero Steps in against batters Wednesday
Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 10:34 PM
Romero (forearm) threw a live batting practice session Wednesday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Romero closed the 2024 season on the injured list due to right forearm inflammation, but he began a throwing program in late October and appears to be facing no limitations in spring training. The 28-year-old southpaw should remain a key setup option in front of closer Ryan Helsley in 2025 after logging a 3.36 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 51:16 K:BB while gathering 30 holds, seven wins and one save in 59 innings a season ago. |
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Ryan Helsley Ryan Helsley Showcases cutter Thursday
Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 10:31 PM
Helsley appeared to make use of a cutter as part of his arsenal while throwing his first live batting practice of the spring Thursday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis: Helsley already looks to be fully ramped up in the early stages of the spring; the hard-throwing righty uncorked fastballs clocked at 98 miles per hour for his first three pitches of Thursday's session. He also utilized his curveball and slider as part of his core three-pitch mix and complemented those offerings with a cutter, a pitch he's thrown just six total times during his six-year MLB career, per FanGraphs.com. Helsley will likely continue to experiment with his cutter throughout the spring before determining if he can command the pitch well enough to make it a consistent part of his repertoire heading into the regular season. Whether or not he ultimately expands his arsenal, Hesley shapes up as an upper-tier fantasy closer, coming off a brilliant 2024 season in which he recorded an MLB-leading 49 saves to go with seven wins and excellent ratios (2.04 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 21.1 K-BB%). |
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Willson Contreras Willson Contreras Bulks up over winter
Wed, Feb 19, 2025, 8:47 AM
Contreras said recently that he added 10-to-12 pounds of muscle over the offseason, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis: Contreras is moving from catcher to first base this season and is less concerned about flexibility, freeing him up to add some bulk over the winter. The 32-year-old said "the ball is jumping a lot better than last year" during his hitting early on in camp. Contreras will remain eligible at catcher in fantasy leagues in 2025 but should play more often and hopefully have a better chance of staying healthy, making him an intriguing selection in draft rooms. |
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Michael McGreevy Michael McGreevy Shows up in great shape
Fri, Feb 14, 2025, 11:18 AM
McGreevy added 15 pounds of muscle this offseason, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: McGreevy reported to spring training with a shot at winning one of the last spots in the Cardinals rotation, saying he tried to trim as much body fat as he could while putting on the 15 pounds of muscle. "He looks good [this spring training]," said manager Oliver Marmol of McGreevy. "He put on some weight and had a really good offseason, and I'm excited to see what's coming out of that arm." The 24-year-old righty logged 150 innings at Triple-A and 23 innings in the majors last season. He registered an elite 62.5 percent groundball rate and 2.3 percent walk rate in the majors, leading to a 0.78 WHIP. McGreevy sits in the low-90s with his fastball, but he has a plus slider and his command might be double-plus. Andre Pallante and Steven Matz may have a leg up on McGreevy for the final two spots in the rotation, but McGreevy is arguably the most appealing of the three for fantasy. |
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Nolan Arenado Nolan Arenado Trade now considered unlikely
Thu, Feb 13, 2025, 2:29 PM
Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Thursday that it's now likelier Arenado is the team's Opening Day third baseman than it is he's traded, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis: Arenado nixed a potential trade to the Astros in December and the Red Sox are no longer a potential landing spot after they signed Alex Bregman. Discussions with Arenado's other approved destinations have beared little fruit, so unless that changes or the player expands his list of teams to which he would approve a trade, it appears the 33-year-old is staying put. The domino effect is likely Nolan Gorman staying at second base, Brendan Donovan primarily playing left field and Lars Nootbaar shifting to center. |
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Andre Pallante Andre Pallante Emerges victorious in arbitration
Thu, Feb 13, 2025, 11:15 AM
Pallante will receive a $2.1 million salary for 2025 after winning his arbitration hearing against the Cardinals on Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: The Cardinals had filed for a $1.925 million salary for Pallante, who was arbitration-eligible for the first time. Pallante submitted a weak 9.0 K-BB% over 121.1 innings across his 29 appearances (20 starts) in 2024, but thanks to his ability to keep the ball on the ground and generate weak contact, most of his ERA estimators (4.15 SIERA, 3.89 xFIP, 3.46 xERA) were roughly in line with his actual ERA (3.78). He should have a firm grasp on a full-time rotation spot in 2025, though his poor strikeout rate will likely make him less valuable in fantasy leagues than in real life. |
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Lars Nootbaar Lars Nootbaar Wins arbitration case
Wed, Feb 12, 2025, 1:25 PM
Nootbaar will earn $2.95 million in 2025 after winning his arbitration case with the Cardinals, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: The Cardinals had filed at $2.45 million. It's a substantial raise for Nootbaar, who is in his first year of arbitration eligibility. The 27-year-old has had trouble with injuries but has been productive when on the field, slashing .246/.348/.425 over parts of four seasons in St. Louis. Nootbaar is currently slated to be the Cardinals' everyday left fielder, although he could move to center field if the club winds up hanging on to Nolan Arenado. |
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Brendan Donovan Brendan Donovan Gets $2.85M salary for 2025
Wed, Feb 12, 2025, 1:23 PM
Donovan will earn $2.85 million in 2025 after losing his arbitration case Wednesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Arbitration-eligible for the first time, Donovan had been hopeful to work out a multi-year extension with the Cardinals this offseason, but the two sides couldn't come to an agreement before the Jan. 9 deadline. He then filed for a $3.3 million salary for 2025, but he'll ultimately have to settle for $450,000 less than that amount after losing his case. The lack of an extension shouldn't affect Donovan's standing in the organization, as he's still expected to serve as a near-everyday player in 2025 after slashing .278/.342/.417 with a career-high 14 home runs and 73 RBI over 652 plate appearances last season. |
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Nick Anderson Nick Anderson Signs with St. Louis as NRI
Fri, Feb 7, 2025, 1:52 PM
The Cardinals signed Anderson to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training.
Analysis: Anderson, 34, made 37 appearances for the Royals last season, putting up a 4.04 ERA and 29:15 K:BB over 35.2 frames. The righty reliever hasn't shown the same velocity or swing-and-miss stuff the last couple years that he did earlier in his career, but Anderson should have a decent chance to make St. Louis' Opening Day roster if he can stay healthy. |
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Michael Helman Michael Helman Dealt to St. Louis
Thu, Feb 6, 2025, 4:58 PM
The Twins traded Helman to the Cardinals on Thursday in exchange for cash.
Analysis: Helman spent most of last season with Triple-A St. Paul, where he slashed .270/.349/.482 with 14 home runs and 48 RBI across 315 plate appearances. He also fared well in a small sample size during his first career MLB stint, going 3-for-10 at the plate while scoring two runs over nine games for Minnesota. Now with the Cardinals, the 28-year-old's defensive versatility could give him a leg up in the race for a bench spot, though there's still a chance he begins the season at Triple-A Memphis. |
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Zack Weiss Zack Weiss Catches on with St. Louis
Thu, Jan 30, 2025, 2:30 PM
Weiss signed a minor-league contract with the Cardinals on Thursday.
Analysis: Weiss spent all of last season in the Twins' farm system, though a shoulder injury prevented him from playing in a Triple-A game until July. After recovering, he turned in a 5.40 ERA and 1.88 WHIP across 25 innings at St. Paul and will likely remain an organizational depth piece for his new organization. |
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Tink Hence Tink Hence No limitations in spring training
Mon, Jan 27, 2025, 9:06 AM
Hence will enter spring training without limitations after he threw just 79.2 innings in 2024 due to back and right lat discomfort, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis: Hence had to be pulled early from a couple starts in June and then missed nearly a month around midseason due to the injury. He also exited his final outing of the season with another injury, although it's unclear if the same back/lat issue was the culprit. Durability is the only real negative with Hence's outlook, as he also missed time in 2023 with tightness in his chest and neck area. The 22-year-old was superb in 2024 when on the mound, posting a 2.71 ERA and 109:26 K:BB over 79.2 frames with Double-A Springfield. Hence was added to the Cardinals' 40-man roster this offseason and should begin 2025 in the rotation at Triple-A Memphis. |
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Masyn Winn Masyn Winn Aiming to steal 30 to 40 bases
Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 8:54 AM
Winn said during the Cardinals' Winter Warm-Up fan event Sunday that he's hoping to steal 30-40 bases this season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis: Winn stole only 11 bases in 16 attempts last season during his 150-game rookie campaign. However, with a sprint speed in the 87th percentile and an average of more than 30 stolen bases per season during his three years in the minors, Winn certainly seems capable of upping his steals total in 2025. It would be a big boost to his fantasy prospects if he is more aggressive on the basepaths this season. |
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Jordan Walker Jordan Walker Working on rediscovering swing
Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 8:34 AM
Walker has been working with new Cardinals hitting coach Brant Brown this offseason on rediscovering the swing he had prior to the 2024 season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Analysis: Upon reviewing video from 2024 and comparing it to 2023, Walker and Brown noticed that the outfielder's hands were separating from his body too soon, while the balance in his lower half was also inconsistent as he gravitated toward a wider stance. The goal, per Walker, is to "hit line drives" and "drive the ball in the gap" instead of putting so much emphasis on lofting the ball in the air. Walker said he's "super-excited" with the early results of his swing changes and can't wait to test it out against live pitching. The Cardinals are committed to youth in 2025, which includes giving Walker a long leash in right field. The 22-year-old Walker slashed only .201/.253/.366 over 52 regular-season games with St. Louis in 2024 while spending a large chunk of the campaign in the minors. |
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Matthew Liberatore Matthew Liberatore Prepping as starter
Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 2:32 PM
Liberatore said Sunday that he'll build up as a starter during spring training, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: The left-hander found success out of the bullpen last season with a 3.69 ERA in 54 relief appearances, but he'll still get stretched out during camp. Liberatore pointed out it's easier to pare down his workload later on compared to building up midseason, so he could still end up beginning the campaign in a relief role. |
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Bailey Horn Bailey Horn Claimed by St. Louis
Thu, Jan 9, 2025, 3:52 PM
The Cardinals claimed Horn off waivers from the Tigers on Thursday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Horn was pushed off Detroit's 40-man roster in December to create space for Gleyber Torres, putting an end to Horn's tenure with the Tigers after just over a month. The 26-year-old southpaw turned in a 6.50 ERA and 1.78 WHIP across 18 innings with the Red Sox last season, and barring a major turnaround during spring training, he'll most likely report to Triple-A Memphis to begin 2025. |
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JoJo Romero JoJo Romero Inks contract for 2025
Thu, Jan 9, 2025, 3:45 PM
Romero agreed to a one-year contract with the Cardinals on Thursday to avoid arbitration.
Analysis: Romero ended the season on the injured list with a forearm issue but resumed throwing early in the offseason and should be healthy for the start of spring training. The left-hander racked up 30 holds and one save with a 3.36 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 51:16 K:BB across 59 innings last year. |
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