photo: Tyler Webb (Patrick Gorski/USA TODAY Sports)
St. Louis Cardinals press release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced this (Friday) afternoon that they have claimed left-handed reliever Tyler Webb off waivers from the San Diego Padres and will assign Webb to the Memphis Redbirds (AAA) roster. To make room for Webb on the team’s 40-man Major League roster, the Cardinals transferred right-handed pitcher Alex Reyes from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
Webb, 27, has appeared in 19 games for El Paso (AAA) this season and was 1-1 with a 2.05 ERA for the Chihuahuas, striking out 28 batters in 22.0 innings pitched.
The 6-5, 230-pound left-hander worked in four games for San Diego (5.0 IP) this year after debuting in the majors last season with the New York Yankees (7 games) and Milwaukee (2 games).
Webb was a 10th round selection by the Yankees in the 2013 First Year Player Draft out of the University of South Carolina who he helped to NCAA College World Series titles in both 2010 and 2011.
Webb went to Spring Training with Milwaukee this year and was claimed off waivers by the Padres on April 14. He made his first appearance for San Diego on April 17, taking the loss that day in a 12 inning loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. All four of his Major League appearances this year have come against the Dodgers.
Brian Walton’s take
What was missing from the above is Webb’s MLB ERA of 8.31 in 13 innings logged among the Yankees and Brewers last year and Padres this season. He struck out 12, but gave up 15 hits, including four home runs, and walked eight on top of it for an equally-unsightly 1.77 WHIP.
Having said that, why not take a shot on him? After Austin Gomber, already in St. Louis, the pipeline of left-handed pitching is fairly dry. This is exacerbated by Ryan Sherriff being out for the remainder of the season. The other lefties in the Memphis pen are Sean Gilmartin and recently-signed Tommy Layne.
Memphis currently has a full roster, so a move will be required to make room for Webb when he joins the Triple-A club.
Memphis rehabbers
Speaking of the Triple-A Redbirds, shortstop Paul DeJong and right-handed reliever Matt Bowman, both currently on St. Louis’ 10-day disabled list, are scheduled to begin their minor league rehab stints Friday night as the join they Memphis club in Des Moines. Neither count against the active 25-man roster limit, giving manager Stubby Clapp a temporary numbers advantage.
DeJong suffered a fracture of the left hand when hit by a pitch in May 17 and he went on the DL the next day. Ironically, Bowman went on the shelf at the same time, but came back on June 15, only to suffer a recurrence of his finger blisters and went right back onto the DL four days later.
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Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian on Twitter.
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