Cardinals Add Gomber, Subtract Poncedeleon

photo: Austin Gomber (Scott Rovak/USA TODAY Sports)

The St. Louis Cardinals have brought up Wednesday starter Austin Gomber from Triple-A, but sent Tuesday starter Daniel Poncedeleon in the opposite direction.


St. Louis Cardinals press release

Austin Gomber (Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)

The St. Louis Cardinals announced prior to tonight’s (Tuesday’s) game with Cincinnati that they have recalled rookie left-handed pitcher Austin Gomber from Memphis (AAA) and optioned right-handed pitcher Daniel Poncedeleon to Memphis.

Gomber, 24, will be making his first Major League start tonight after having made 15 relief appearances (0-0, 3.77 ERA) for the Cardinals in June and July following his debut on June 2. Gomber has appeared in a total of 12 games (11 starts) for Memphis, going 7-3 with a 3.42 ERA. His last appearance with the triple-A Redbirds came in a start on July 17 when he held Iowa to just one hit over 5.0 scoreless innings.

Poncedeleon debuted last night, becoming one of just five pitchers since 1961 to throw at least 7.0 no-hit innings in their Major League debut, and the first since the Dodgers Ross Stripling in 2016. Poncedeleon’s 7.0

scoreless innings last night were the most by a Cardinals pitcher in their Major League debut since Danny Cox blanked the Phillies for 10 innings on August 6, 1983.

The Cardinals, this week, are starting three rookies in a series (Poncedeleon, Gomber & Jack Flaherty) for the first time since their final series of 1997 when they started Mike Busby, Matt Morris and Manny Aybar.

With his start tonight, Gomber, who wears uniform no. 68, will become the 10th pitcher to make a start for the Cardinals in 2018.


Brian Walton’s take

Daniel Poncedeleon (Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)

On one hand, the move to send Poncedeleon down makes sense, since a starter cannot appear for another five days and this allows St. Louis to continue to go with effectively nine relievers (and four starters). In fact, my guess is that this was decided in advance of Monday night.

On the other, this also eliminates Poncedeleon from consideration to start in St. Louis’ next turn through the rotation – unless another pitcher is injured in the interim. The reason for this is that players optioned to the minor leagues cannot be recalled in the first 10 days after being sent down – unless they are replacing a player who goes onto the disabled list.

It would seem that any competition between the two – real or imagined – for the next start, at least, has been taken out of the equation. Perhaps Gomber can pitch with more confidence Tuesday night as a result.

Even so, based on Poncedeleon’s dominating St. Louis debut, many would like to see him pitch again as soon as possible. For the immediate future, that looks as if it will be in Memphis, however.


Bryan Dobzanski (St. Louis Cardinals)

Update – Minors move with Dobzanski

With Palm Beach down a pitcher due to Eric Carter’s Monday promotion to Springfield, the high-A Cardinals received Bryan Dobzanski from Peoria.

The 22-year old right-hander has been with the Chiefs since the start of the 2017 season, having pitched in 60 games for the Class-A club. (That could be a team record.)

This season, Dobzanski has a 2.89 ERA to go with 46 strikeouts and 12 walks in 43 2/3 innings. He has a 5-3 record and converted four of five saves.

Now Peoria is down one player.


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Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian on Twitter.

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