photo: Michael McGreevy (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Two days after they increased their rotation depth via trade, the St. Louis Cardinals need it as Lance Lynn goes on the injured list and Michael McGreevy makes what appears to be a spot start on Wednesday.
St. Louis Cardinals release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced a series of roster moves this morning (Wednesday, July 31) that follow:
- RHP Michael McGreevy (#36) selected from the Memphis (AAA) roster;
- RHP Lance Lynn (right knee inflammation) placed on the 15-day Injured List;
- RHP Ryan Loutos (#68) recalled from Memphis (AAA);
- RHP Chris Roycroft optioned to Memphis (AAA);
- Memphis RHP Jacob Bosiokovic designated for assignment.
McGreevy, 24, the Cardinals 1st round draft selection (18th player overall) in 2021 out of UC-Santa Barbara, will be making his Major League debut this afternoon in a start against the Texas Rangers. The 6-5, 220-pound McGreevy will become the 8th player (6th pitcher) to make their Major League debut for St. Louis this season.
McGreevy, who was high school teammates with current Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante, has compiled a 5-7 mark with a 4.45 ERA in 20 starts for Memphis (AAA) this season.
Rated as having the “Best Control” in the Cardinals organization by Baseball America in each of the past two seasons, McGreevy has logged four scoreless starts of 6.0 innings or more this year, including his most recent start on July 24 at Columbus when he blanked the Clippers on just two hits over 6.0 IP.
Loutos, 25, a product of Washington University (St. Louis, MO), has appeared in two games (1.1 IP) for the Cardinals this season, including his MLB debut on June 1. The 6-5, 240-pound Loutos (pronounced loo-tus), has saved a team-leading 10 games and recorded a 1.98 ERA in his 31 games pitched for Memphis this season, producing a 1.27 WHIP in 36.1 IP.
Brian Walton’s take
McGreevy becomes the 10th pitcher to start a game for St. Louis this year. With the first start of newly-acquired Erick Fedde this coming weekend, it suggests that McGreevy may be a one-and-done starter – this time around.
However, it is hardly a wasted move. This fall, McGreevy would have been required to be added to the 40-man roster for Rule 5 protection, anyway. As McGreevy seemed to plateau at Triple-A, he slid from eighth on The Cardinal Nation’s Top 50 Prospect List in the off-season to 18th currently.
The 40-man roster casualty to make room for McGreevy is his Memphis teammate Bosiokovic.
The 30-year-old returned to the organization prior to the season as a minor league free agent. Bosiokovic was added to the 40-man and called up to St. Louis from June 30-July 5 but did not make his MLB mound debut.
With Memphis this season, the right-hander has a 3.95 ERA in 33 appearances. He has 52 strikeouts with 25 walks in 41 Triple-A innings.
The Cardinals have seven days for Bosiokovic to clear waivers, trade him or release him.
Lynn, 36, was signed during the offseason and has been one of the more inconsistent members of the rotation. Still, the right-hander has a 4.06 ERA in 21 starts while averaging just over five innings per outing. He picked up his sixth win of the season against the Rangers on Tuesday evening after allowing one run in five innings but struggled with right knee inflammation during his outing. The injury is not believed to be serious.
Pallante may remain in the rotation to cover Lynn’s spot.
This season, Roycroft, 27, has been a regular on the I-55 Shuttle between Memphis and St. Louis. The right-hander was most recently called up on July 5. That was his fifth stint with the Cardinals in 2024, though two of them do not count against the maximum of five as they were for one day only as the 27th man for a doubleheader.
With St. Louis this year, his first as a major leaguer, Roycroft has a 4.15 ERA in 24 appearances out of the bullpen.
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