photo: Luke Gregerson (Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports)
St. Louis Cardinals press release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced prior to tonight’s (Friday) series opener with Cincinnati that they have activated right-handed pitcher Luke Gregerson (right shoulder impingement) and left- handed pitcher Tyler Lyons (left elbow strain) from the 10-day disabled list.
The team also announced that right- handed pitchers John Brebbia and Luke Weaver were optioned to Memphis (AAA) following Wednesday night’s game.
Gregerson, 34, has been sidelined since May 16 and missed a total of 52 games since that time. He’s appeared in 12 games for the Cardinals this season, striking out eight in his 8.1 innings pitched. Gregerson appeared in five games between Memphis (2 games) and Springfield (3 games) during his injury rehabilitation and allowed just one unearned run in 5.0 innings pitched while striking out five and walking none.
Lyons, 30, is 1-0 with 9 Holds in 22 games this season for the Cardinals, totaling 13.2 innings pitched and 15 strikeouts. He went on the disabled list on June 6 and has missed 33 games. In three appearances during his injury rehabilitation assignments between Memphis (2 games) and Springfield (1 game), Lyons totaled 3.0 scoreless innings.
Brebbia is 1-3 with 2 saves and a 4.13 ERA in 27 relief appearances (32.2 IP) this season, while Weaver has gone 5-8 with a 4.72 ERA in his team-high 19 starts (103.0 IP) and is leading the staff with 96 strikeouts.
Brian Walton’s take
The returns of Gregerson and Lyons were expected, though it should be noted that the former also had surgery on his right knee while out, which prolonged his DL stay.
With Memphis already having created two roster spots on Thursday, the only open question was which two players would be optioned out by St. Louis to make room for Gregerson and Lyons.
Brebbia was not a surprise, as he has been a regular on the I-55 shuttle this season, but Weaver was. However, it makes all the sense in the world. Weaver was not scheduled to pitch this weekend but could stay on his routine with a less-taxing outing with Memphis in the interim.
The minimum time before an optioned player can return is 10 days – unless he is replacing an injured player or if he is the 26th man on a double-header day. Immediately following the All-Star break, the Cardinals have five games in four days against the Cubs, including two on Saturday, July 21, so the club can bring him back even sooner than 10 days. It seems highly likely his return will be next Saturday.
Through the first half, Weaver is clearly on his way to setting a new career high in innings pitched. To date, he has thrown 103 innings, with a 4.72 ERA. The 24-year old’s busiest year ever was 2017, when he tossed 137 innings between Memphis and St. Louis.
Further, not that Weaver’s minor league options will be needed, anyway, but it is worth noting that he will not burn an option year unless in the minors for at least 20 days. That seems unlikely.
On the other hand, Brebbia could be with Memphis for some time as St. Louis’ bullpen is almost completely healthy. The last remaining reliever on the shelf is Dominic Leone.
The other starter not scheduled to pitch during the Reds series, John Gant, has temporarily been moved to the bullpen for the weekend. That gives manager Mike Matheny nine relievers.
Minor league move – Fiedler finished
Peoria Chiefs number 13, outfielder Matt Fiedler, retired on Friday the 13th.
Returned to Peoria from Palm Beach after a brief four-game stint at high-A in May, the 23-year old appeared in 37 games with the Class-A Chiefs, with a 2018 slash line of .260/.324/.420/.744. In 131 at-bats, the right-handed hitter launched four home runs and drove in 20.
Fiedler did not make a full-season club out of spring training in either of the last two seasons. Despite having 49 games of experience with Peoria in 2017, he was at least partially crowded out this spring by five outfielders ahead who were brought in from outside the organization since last summer and Fiedler had to again remain in extended spring training, this time until early May.
The Eagan, Minnesota native was St. Louis’ ninth round draft pick in 2016 from the University of Minnesota, where he was the Big 10 Player of the Year. Later that summer, Fiedler earned All-Star honors in the rookie-level Appalachian League for his play with Johnson City.
Peoria did not immediately announce a replacement. Other outfielders on the Midwest League club’s active roster are Nick Plummer, Bryce Denton and J.R. Davis (who also plays second base). Outfielders Scott Hurst and Angel Moreno remain on the Chiefs’ disabled list.
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Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian on Twitter.
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