photo: Tyler O’Neill (Scott Rovak/USA TODAY Sports)
St. Louis Cardinals press release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced following today’s (Sunday’s) game that they have reduced their Spring Training roster by nine players, leaving the number of players in Major League camp at 46 (35 roster players & 11 non-roster players).
The team optioned pitcher Austin Gomber, infielder Edmundo Sosa and outfielder Tyler O’Neill to Memphis (AAA), and optioned pitchers Derian Gonzalez and Conner Greene to Springfield (AA).
The Cardinals also re-assigned non-roster pitchers Ryan Helsley, Dakota Hudson and Arturo Reyes and infielder Tommy Edman to minor league camp.
Brian Walton’s take
This is the second major set of cuts and is primarily focused on getting the minor league pitchers ready for their season-opening starting assignments. The one move that would not have occurred had he been fully healthy is O’Neill. Following Sunday’s game, manager Mike Matheny stated that they had hoped to see even more of the outfielder, but by keeping him up, he could push it and end up fighting his hamstring all season.
Gomber threw two innings on Sunday at Washington, and was charged with two runs on two hits including a home run. The lefty’s spring ERA was 2.57.
Sosa also appeared in Saturday’s game, but did not get an at-bat. The middle infielder batted .438 this spring, 7-for-16, all singles, with three walks and three strikeouts.
O’Neill went 3-for-12, .250, with seven strikeouts and one walk. He also stole two bases without being caught.
Gonzalez had a nice camp, with two hits and two walks over 4 1/3 scoreless innings. The right-hander fanned three and held opponents to a .154 batting average.
In his initial Cardinals action, Greene was charged with six earned runs in 4 2/3 innings (11.57 ERA) on nine hits and three walks. He fanned five.
Helsley’s spring ERA was 7.71 based on four runs in 4 2/3 innings. The top prospect righty yielded seven hits and issued four walks to go with two K’s.
Though Hudson was tagged for just one run in his 4 2/3 spring frames, the bases were busy due to eight hits and five walks given. He struck out two.
Reyes was slowed by injury early and was touched for two runs in his lone 2/3 inning outing. He is the only reliever in the group.
Edman, behind a number of other middle infielders, had just six spring at-bats, with two singles and a strikeout.
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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