photo: Ryan Helsley via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
St. Louis Cardinals announcement
We have activated RHP Ryan Helsley from the Injured List and optioned LHP Rob Kaminsky to our Alternate Training Site.
To create room on the 40-man roster, RHP Jesus Cruz has been designated for assignment. pic.twitter.com/PL9p7jJRgi
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) September 1, 2020
Brian Walton’s take
Helsley had been on the injured list since August 15, as part of the second wave of Cardinals COVID cases. The right-handed reliever had thrown live batting practice on Sunday and played catch on Monday. His bounceback condition was the last checkpoint for him.
The 26-year old is expected to work his way back into the Cardinals late-game bullpen mix.
Kaminsky, 25, did not pitch this time up after joining the roster for a second time this season on Saturday. The lefty takes Helsley’s place on the five-man taxi squad.
Cruz, 25, was called in from home in Mexico to join the Cardinals alternate camp in Springfield on August 6. He replaced Kaminsky on the active roster on the 18th, pitched in one game for St. Louis and was optioned out the next day.
Roster implications
Cruz is immediately off the 40-man roster. His next move will be decided in the next seven days – whether traded, claimed off waivers by another organization, outrighted to the minor leagues or released. I would not be surprised if he clears waivers and is outrighted. Even if Cruz remains a Cardinal, he could be removed from the 60-man player pool, and if so, would not return to action until 2021.
The 40-man roster is now down to 44. Four remaining COVID IL players are still working their way back and have yet to return to the active roster – Carlos Martinez, Kodi Whitley, Rangel Ravelo and Austin Dean. Accordingly, four current 40-man players will need to follow Cruz off the roster when the COVID four are ready to be activated.
Update
On September 3, Cruz cleared outright waivers and was reassigned to the organization’s alternate camp.
Designated for assignment on Tuesday, P Jesus Cruz cleared outright waivers. The RHR remains in the #stlcards organization, returned to the Springfield alternate camp
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) September 4, 2020
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