photo: Casey Lawrence (Jonathan Dyer/USA TODAY Sports)
On Tuesday, August 15, the St. Louis Cardinals added right-handed pitcher Casey Lawrence to their 40-man and 26-man active rosters. The 35-year-old had joined the organization on July 20 and was assigned to Triple-A Memphis.
With Memphis, Lawrence made three starts, totaling 13 1/3 innings. He logged a 5.40 ERA (10 runs, eight earned) on 17 hits, including three home runs (.315 batting average against). Lawrence walked two and struck out nine.
With St. Louis, Lawrence likely backfills long-man Zack Thompson, who was pulled into the rotation when starter Steven Matz was placed on the injured list effective Sunday, August 13.
Last month, Lawrence opted out of his minor league contract with Toronto after posting a 4.67 ERA in 18 starts over 90 2/3 innings for Triple-A Buffalo. In varied stints in the majors in 2018, 2019 and 2022, Lawrence logged a 6.80 ERA in 42 relief appearances and two starts for the Jays and Mariners.
Drafted in 2010, Lawrence is well traveled. His original organization, Toronto, re-signed him as a free agent following the 2016 season. They then put him on outright waivers in May 2017, from where he was claimed by the Mariners.
Seattle outrighted him that November and he elected free agency. He re-signed with Seattle and they added him back onto the roster during 2018. Lawrence pitched in Japan in 2019 after being released by the Mariners following the 2018 season.
After being with the Twins organization in 2020, he was a free agent that fall. For 2021, he signed with the independent York Revolution, from where the Jays acquired his services for a second time. Lawrence was outrighted again by the Blue Jays in November 2022 and went unclaimed. He became a free agent, but later re-signed a minor league deal with Toronto for 2023.
With the move, the Cardinals have 38 players on their 40-man roster.
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