MARCH 1, 2021•MLB.COM
DeJong eager for more normal seasonJUPITER, Fla. -- By all accounts, this should be a relatively simple Spring Training for Paul DeJong. His starting spot at shortstop is not...
Cardinals: Andrew Miller fully recovered from COVID-19Cardinals reliever Andrew Miller had COVID-19 in early February, though he says he is fully recovered from the virus. The St. Louis Cardinal...
MARCH 1, 2021•REDBIRDRANTS.COM
Cardinals scratch Miles Mikolas from spring start. Reason for concern?The St. Louis Cardinals scratched Miles Mikolas from a spring training start. Is there reason for concern? The St. Louis Cardinals entered s...
MARCH 1, 2021•REDBIRDRANTS.COM
Gets first spring ninth-inning nodGallegos pitched a clean ninth inning in Sunday's Grapefruit League tie with the Nationals, recording two strikeouts.
ImpactIt was notably Gallegos, and not eventual presumptive closer Jordan Hicks, who got the first ninth-inning call of spring, although it came in a non-save situation with the Cardinals actually down 4-2 entering the frame. The presence of Gallegos is a luxury of sorts for manager Mike Shildt; the hard-throwing right-hander proved effective in a closing role last season (4-for-4 in save chances) and certainly could soften the landing for Hicks in his return to game action after nearly two years off due to Tommy John surgery and last season's COVID-19 opt-out.
MARCH 1, 2021•ROTOWIRE
Impressive with velocity, pitch mixReyes' fastball clocked in at 96 mph and above and was effectively mixed with a 79 mph curveball during his perfect inning in Sunday's Grapefruit League tie with the Nationals, Zac...
ImpactThe right-hander topped out at 97.8 mph during his efficient nine-pitch frame, making it a highly encouraging spring debut for a pitcher competing for the No. 5 role in the starting rotation. Reyes is competing with a pair of proven veterans in John Gant and Carlos Martinez for the job, but the 26-year-old's stuff is undeniably a cut above both.
MARCH 1, 2021•ROTOWIRE
Strong early case for rotation spotGant, who is competing for the one vacancy in the Cardinals' starting rotation, made a strong first impression in his bid by firing a pair of scoreless innings in Sunday's Grapefru...
ImpactThe veteran right-hander didn't allow a hit and offset a pair of walks with three strikeouts across his 34-pitch outing. Carlos Martinez, who naturally has a robust career body of work as a starter, and the promising Alex Reyes are considered the other leading candidates for the No. 5 starter role, with the latter also turning in a strong one-inning effort Sunday.
MARCH 1, 2021•ROTOWIRE
Displeased with spring debutFlaherty, who threw just 17 of 39 pitches for strikes in his Grapefruit League debut Sunday against Washington, confirmed he wasn't experimenting with any new pitchers or mechanics...
ImpactFlaherty labored through a 23-pitch first inning that started out positively enough with a strikeout but devolved into the right-hander allowing a single and two walks before the frame ended early due to his elevated pitch count. With the second inning even more nightmarish -- Flaherty surrendered three consecutive singles, uncorked two wild pitches and issued a walk before getting the hook -- his first taste of 2021 game action was undeniably disastrous. Making the poor showing all the more jarring was the fact Flaherty is considered the ace of the staff and was just designated the Opening Day starter, but he'll at least have plenty more opportunities to round into form over the next five weeks of Grapefruit League action.
MARCH 1, 2021•ROTOWIRE
