The St. Louis Cardinals have signed 36-year-old left-handed pitcher Wade LeBlanc to a free-agent contract, optioned Seth Elledge to Memphis and moved Max Moroff to the 60-day injured list.
St. Louis Cardinals press release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced today (Thursday, June 17) that they have signed veteran left-handed pitcher Wade LeBlanc to a free-agent contract, and that he will join the team for its series-opening game tonight in Atlanta.
To make room for LeBlanc on the team’s 25-player active roster, right-handed pitcher Seth Elledge was optioned to Memphis (AAA) following yesterday’s game. Infielder Max Moroff (left shoulder) has been transferred to the 60-day Injured List allowing for LeBlanc’s addition to the team’s 40-player Major League roster.
LeBlanc, 36, is a veteran of 13 seasons in the majors in a career that began in 2008 with San Diego. The 6-2, 195-pound LeBlanc (pronounced luh-BLAHNK) has appeared in 246 career games (121 starts) with San Diego (2008-11), Miami (2012-13), Houston (2013), L.A. Angels (2014), New York Yankees (2014), Seattle (2016 & 2018-19), Pittsburgh (2016-17) and Baltimore (2020-21).
LeBlanc was most recently pitching for Round Rock, the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, where he was 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA in three starts covering 18.0 innings pitched. He worked 7.0 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts in his final start for the Express on June 11. His 2021 season has also included four starts (1-1, 3.78 ERA) with Nashville (AAA) and six games, including one start, with the Baltimore Orioles.
LeBlanc owns a 46-48 career mark in the majors with a 4.59 ERA. He is 34-41, 4.73 ERA in 121 career starts and 12-7 with a 4.23 ERA in 125 relief appearances with three saves.
The Lake Charles, La. native made a career-high 50 appearances out of the bullpen for the Pirates in 2017 and followed that up with a 9-5 mark and 3.72 ERA in 2018 for Seattle, working primarily as a starter (27 games started).
LeBlanc has been assigned uniform no. 49.
Brian Walton’s take
The Cardinals need arms, LeBlanc has an extensive major league portfolio and he is left-handed to boot. However, at age 36, he is a prototypical journeyman. Specifically, the Cardinals are his fourth organization in just the last two months, so keeping expectations low seems prudent.
Here is a summary of LeBlanc’s prior 2021 itinerary:
- June 15: Released by Rangers (Triple-A)
- May 27: Released by Brewers (Triple-A)
- April 29: Outrighted by Baltimore and elected free agency
Here are his earlier organizational stops and how he left each:
- 2020: Baltimore (left as free agent and re-signed)
- 2018-2019: Seattle (left as free agent)
- 2018: Yankees (released)
- 2017: Pittsburgh (free agent)
- 2016: Seattle (DFA, traded for PTBNL)
- 2016: Toronto (DFA, traded for PTBNL)
- 2014: Angels (DFA again, left as free agent)
- 2014: Yankees (outrighted, left as free agent)
- 2014: Angels (DFA, lost via waivers)
- 2013: Astros (DFA twice, outrighted, left as free agent)
- 2012-2013: Marlins (DFA, lost via waivers)
- 2006-2011: Padres (traded)
By my count, St. Louis is LeBlanc’s 14 MLB organization, including two twice, or just under half of the 30 clubs. He only pitched in the bigs for eight, with St. Louis to become nine. Nine lives?
Further, LeBlanc has missed considerable time due to injury in several recent seasons:
- 2020: Left elbow stress reaction
- 2019: Strained right oblique
- 2017: Strained left quadricep
LeBlanc’s role with the Cardinals is to be determined.
Update – Brandon Dickson returns
We have signed RHP Brandon Dickson to a minor league contract. He has been assigned to Memphis (AAA).
Dickson, 36, appeared in 8 games for the Cardinals between 2011-12.
He has spent the last eights season with the Orix Buffaloes, accumulating a 49-58 record with a 3.32 ERA. pic.twitter.com/hnIFiQ0WVI
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 17, 2021
At this point, I have the Redbirds with 31 active players against a 28-man maximum, so other moves have to be right around the corner.
For more
To track the status of the Cardinals’ 40-man roster as well as all players in the system by position and level, check out the Roster Matrix, always free and updated here at The Cardinal Nation. Also included is every player transaction across the full organization all year long.
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