photo: Jesus Cruz (Frank Ramirez/The Cardinal Nation)
On Tuesday, August 18, the St. Louis Cardinals continued their daily roster tweaking, making the following adjustments.
We have selected RHP Jesus Cruz to the Major League roster and optioned LHP Rob Kaminsky to our Alternate Training Site.
Kaminsky will remain on the team’s Taxi Squad. pic.twitter.com/1kHqluU5tt
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) August 18, 2020
Cruz, 25, will be the 12th Cardinal to make his Major League debut in 2020. The reliever forged a 6.24 ERA in 50 games with Triple-A Memphis last season. Cruz wears uniform no. 86.
Also, pitcher Jake Woodford, the designated 29th man during Monday’s doubleheader, has officially been returned to alternate camp. However, the right-hander remains with St. Louis physically as a member of the five-man taxi squad. Woodford is a candidate to play the 29th man role again on Wednesday.
Other player news
In his pregame remarks prior to the evening game in Chicago, St. Louis manager Mike Shildt made several other player-related disclosures.
Of the seven players who tested positive for COVID-19 in Milwaukee, six have been cleared to begin baseball-related activities. The newest four are first baseman-outfielder Rangel Ravelo, catcher Yadier Molina, shortstop Paul DeJong and relief pitcher Kodi Whitley. They worked out on Tuesday at Busch Stadium.
This comes a day after Carlos Martinez and Edmundo Sosa were cleared. Sosa will move to the alternate camp in Springfield, but Martinez and several of the other proven major leaguers may skip that second step.
Of the original seven positive cases, the only player not yet cleared is reliever Junior Fernandez.
The three Cardinals who tested positive a week later, outfielders Austin Dean and Lane Thomas and reliever Ryan Helsley, remain in protocol and have not cleared.
The 11th and final current IL member, pitcher Austin Gomber, who unlike the others never tested positive, is expected to return to the active roster on Wednesday.
Shildt also mentioned that the Cardinals staff members who tested positive are feeling better and are at an undisclosed point on the road back.
Also, outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who was in the original Tuesday lineup, was a late scratch. When the reason is shared in the post-game, this will be updated accordingly.
Update
In his post-game, a barely-recognizable Shildt said that O’Neill has a “tolerance issue” with “the base of one of his ring fingers.” The manager said the outfielder is “hopeful” for Wednesday.
Full roster detail at The Cardinal Nation
To view the two 2020 rosters and to track the status of the Cardinals’ 60-man pool, 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.
Detailed team rosters for the entire system can be accessed via the red menu column at the top left (see “ROSTERS/PLAYERS/MOVES”).
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