APRIL 2, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS 83-79 · 2ND IN NL CENTRAL
83-79 · 2ND IN NL CENTRAL
Five questions facing the Cardinals before Opening Day Drew VerHagen and Jake Woodford for the fifth spot? How will Oli Marmol utilize the leadoff spot? The Cardinals' answers are taking shape.
Blake Parker - Reassigned to minor-league camp Parker was reassigned to minor-league spring training Friday.
Impact Parker joined the Cardinals as a non-roster invitee Saturday, but he was unable to land a spot on the team's Opening Day roster. Although he'll report to Triple-A Memphis to begin the year, it wouldn't be surprising to see him join the major-league bullpen at some point in 2022.
APRIL 1, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Cardinals 7, Mets 2
APRIL 1, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dodgers: Albert Pujols Makes a Big Announcement 2022 will be the final year of Albert Pujols’ decorated career.
APRIL 1, 2022 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM
Drew VerHagen - Falters in rotation audition VerHagen allowed seven runs on seven his and three walks while striking out four in three innings in Thursday's loss to the Marlins.
Impact VerHagen is looking to make his major-league comeback after two years in Japan. Prior to Thursday, he had allowed just two runs in five innings, but his latest outing was a setback in his quest to be the Cardinals' fifth starter. He'll likely get one more spring start to make his case, though Jake Woodford and Aaron Brooks are also in the mix to make the rotation while Jack Flaherty (shoulder) is sidelined into mid-May.
APRIL 1, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Lars Nootbaar - Could be odd-man out Nootbaar is 3-for-19 with five walks, one RBI and three runs scored in eight Grapefruit League games.
Impact Nootbaar hasn't shown enough with the bat this spring to displace any of Tyler O'Neill, Harrison Bader or Dylan Carlson from starting gigs across the outfield. It seems more than likely Nootbaar will begin the season in a fourth outfielder role, if he can break camp with the Cardinals -- which is no guarantee with the signings of Corey Dickerson and Albert Pujols this spring. Nootbaat hit a mild .239/.317/.422 with five home runs, 15 RBI, 15 runs scored and two stolen bases in 124 plate appearances last season at the major-league level. It's possible the 24-year-old just needs a little more time with Triple-A Memphis, where he slashed .308/.404/.496 in 35 games in 2021.
APRIL 1, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Tyler O'Neill - Projected primary left fielder O'Neill is batting .250 (5-for-20) with one RBI and three runs scored through eight Grapefruit League games.
Impact O'Neill had a breakout season in 2021, slashing .286/.352/.560 with 34 home runs, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored and 15 stolen bases in 138 games. That earned him an everyday role in left field, and he's expected to stay there to begin 2022. While his spring stats aren't anything to boast about, it's still to early to have many concerns. O'Neill remains a strikeout risk -- he whiffed at a 31.3 percent rate while posting a 7.3 percent walk rate, but he's poised to rack up solid counting stats as a power-and-speed threat in the heart of the order in his third full campaign.
APRIL 1, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Harrison Bader - Solidifying everyday role Bader is 8-for-23 with two doubles, six RBI and a run scored through eight Grapefruit League games.
Impact Bader enters 2022 as the presumptive starting center fielder, though the Cardinals' outfield is a bit crowded with the addition of Corey Dickerson this spring. There's little reason for Bader to be concerned about a reduced role -- he slashed .267/.324/.460 with 16 home runs, 50 RBI, 45 runs scored and nine stolen bases in 103 games last season. Competition should keep him sharp, but the 27-year-old will likely be in the lineup more often than not. Bader is still expected to hit more toward the bottom of the order, which means he'll likely be batting ninth now that the designated hitter is universal, though the Cardinals boast a formidable starting nine.
APRIL 1, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Andrew Knizner - May play more frequently Knizner is expected to start at catcher more frequently in 2022, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Impact Knizner's increased role is designed in part to afford 39-year-old Yadier Molina more rest in his last major-league campaign. While the plan is to have Knizner play more, he'll have to hit better than the .174/.281/.236 slash line he compiled in 185 plate appearances last season to maintain the added time. The 27-year-old still shouldn't be expected to play enough to make much impact in fantasy outside of two-catcher formats.
APRIL 1, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
VerHagen making the most of second go in Majors JUPITER, Fla. -- Drew VerHagen is a vastly different pitcher than the one who played for the Detroit Tigers from 2014-19, and it’s not becau...
APRIL 1, 2022 • MLB.COM
Marlins 7, Cardinals 4
APRIL 1, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Iván Herrera - Optioned to Memphis Herrera was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday.
Impact Herrera spent the majority of the 2021 season with Double-A Springfield, where he hit .231/.346/.408 across 437 plate appearances. He was promoted to Triple-A Memphis to close the campaign, though he appeared in only one game at the level. Given that, it's no surprise that he isn't starting the season in St. Louis, but he could be in line for his big-league debut if either Yadier Molina or Andrew Knizner suffer an injury.
APRIL 1, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Gold Gloves, good defense push Cards to excellency JUPITER, Fla. -- In historical times, when kings and queens ruled, the color gold was often used to depict wealth, luxury and a lavish lifes...
APRIL 1, 2022 • MLB.COM
Benjamin Hochman: 'Albert Pujols has inspired my life.' Slugger's return touches St. Louisans with Down syndrome. LAKE SAINT LOUIS, Mo. — Dan Mertz casually typed on his computer when a scream pierced his ears.
MARCH 31, 2022 • CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM
Jordan Hicks - Pitching in relief Hicks will work as a reliever rather than a starter this season and could receive save chances with the Cardinals exploring the idea of having a bullpen free of defined roles, Rick...
Impact A fluid bullpen could allow Hicks, Giovanny Gallegos, Genesis Cabrera and Ryan Helsley to all receive save opportunities this season. Hicks worked as the closer in 2019 and was expected to ramp up to be a starter this season after sitting out most of the past two years with elbow issues, but the quick start to the season post-lockout will result in him instead working in relief. The flame-throwing righty could also be used over multiple innings, as manager Oliver Marmol said, "our hope is that he can be more than a one-inning guy."
MARCH 31, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Ali Sánchez - Heads to minors The Cardinals optioned Sanchez to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday, Jim Hayes of Bally Sports Midwest reports.
Impact Yadier Molina and Andrew Knizner are both healthy and are St. Louis' clear top two catchers heading into Opening Day, so Sanchez's demotion was fully expected. The 25-year-old backstop has logged just 14 career plate appearances in the big leagues and isn't expected to see extended action with St. Louis at any point in 2022 so long as Molina and Knizner are available.
MARCH 31, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Juan Yepez - Moved to minors The Cardinals optioned Yepez to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Impact Yepez turned in a .971 OPS over 356 plate appearances at Memphis last season and appeared to be firmly in the mix for a role with the big club heading into the upcoming campaign, but St. Louis' late-spring additions of Corey Dickerson and Albert Pujols likely ended the 23-year-old's bid for the Opening Day roster. Since Yepez doesn't have much left to prove in the minors, he should be near the top of the list for a promotion if the Cardinals lose Pujols, Dickerson or their projected starters at first base (Paul Goldschmidt) and the corner-outfield spots (Dylan Carlson and Tyler O'Neill) for any period of time.
MARCH 31, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Tommy Edman - Could drop in order Edman is just 1-for-20 with one runs scored in seven Grapefruit League games.
Impact Edman served as the Cardinals' leadoff hitter for much of last season, but he was dropped to eighth in the order for Wednesday's game versus the Nationals. The 26-year-old is versatile enough on defense to stick in the lineup regularly, but he could be pushed by Edmundo Sosa for the starting gig at second base since Paul DeJong has solidified his place at shortstop. Hitting lower in the order would make it tough for Edman to replicate his 30-steal season from 2021, though he's expected to at least begin the year splitting the leadoff spot with Dylan Carlson and Harrison Bader.
MARCH 31, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Dylan Carlson - Pushing to hit leadoff Carlson went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Wednesday's 29-8 win over the Nationals.
Impact Carlson has seen time as the leadoff hitter in Grapefruit League games this spring. He's now 7-for-19 with a home run, a double, four RBI and four runs scored through eight contests. He emerged as a near-everyday player for the Cardinals last season, slashing .266/.343/.437 with 18 homers, 65 RBI, 79 runs scored and two stolen bases. He doesn't have the speed usually associated with leadoff hitters, but his 9.5 percent walk rate and 24.6 strikeout rate are solid enough if he can continue to get on base at a reasonable clip. The 23-year-old has room to grow in plate discipline, and the extra at-bats he could see from hitting atop the order would bolster his counting stats.
MARCH 31, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Paul Goldschmidt - Makes big impact Wednesday Goldschmidt went 4-for-4 with a home run, a stolen base and three runs scored in Wednesday's 29-8 win over the Nationals.
Impact Goldschmidt has used a new bat model for the first time in his career, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and it's been paying off in spring games. The first baseman is 10-for-19 with three homers, a double, four RBI and seven runs scored in eight Grapefruit League contests. It looks like he won't need too much adjustment time to the new bat, which is great news. Goldschmidt remains a high-end first baseman in fantasy who should be a solid pickup around the fourth round.
MARCH 31, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Juan Yepez - Available off bench Thursday Yepez (face) is listed among the Cardinals' available reserves for Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Impact Though it's unclear if Yepez will actually enter the contest at any point, his inclusion on the Cardinals' travel roster is an indication that he's feeling fine after being struck in the face by a pitch Wednesday. The 23-year-old still has a chance to make the Cardinals' season-opening 28-man roster, though the team's recent addition of Albert Pujols creates one potential roadblock to at-bats at designated hitter.
MARCH 31, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Nolan Arenado - Back in lineup Thursday Arenado (face) is starting Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Impact Arenado wasn't available Wednesday after undergoing a cosmetic procedure to remove a mole near his right eyebrow, but he'll be back in action a day later. He's gone 4-for-16 with a homer, a double, four RBI, two runs and two strikeouts across seven spring contests this year.
MARCH 31, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Royals exercise option to keep Matheny through 2023 season
The Kansas City Royals exercised their club option on Mike Matheny for the 2023 seasonMARCH 31, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Time to play St. Louis Cardinals manager. Who's in your 2022 opening day lineup? Who do you want to pencil into the starting rotation? The bullpen?
MARCH 31, 2022 • BND.COM
Nationals allow 29 runs in spring game vs Cardinals
Washington Nationals fans have reasons to doubt 2022 will be their year, and they got 29 more WednesdayMARCH 30, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
