Take a sneak peek at the St. Louis Cardinals’ opening day roster
The St. Louis Cardinals announced their opening day roster Thursday afternoon, including only 29 of a possible 30 players. Those 29 include 14 pitchers and 15 hitters, 12 players of whom received their first career opening day assignments to the big leagues.
Pitchers Junior Fernández, Austin Gomber, Ryan Helsley, Kwang Hyun Kim, Daniel Ponce de Leon and Kodi Whitley are part of that group. So too are catcher Andrew Knizner, infielders Tommy Edman, Rangel Ravelo and Edmundo Sosa, and outfielders Austin Dean and Lane Thomas.
As part of their roster shaping, the the Cardinals announced Wednesday infielder Brad Miller had been placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to July 20) with right ankle bursitis. Relief pitcher Brett Cecil was released.
Miller’s injury, which has previously been described as a heel issue, likely opened the door for Knizner to make the roster. Miller stands to contribute primarily as a left-handed bat off the bench, and past him, the next best option the Cardinals have in that role is switch hitting catcher Matt Wieters.
Wieters was used as the designated hitter in Wednesday’s intrasquad game against Kansas City, as Kolten Wong was held out with neck stiffness. That shifted Tommy Edman from third base to second, sent Matt Carpenter from the DH role to third, and created a vacuum at backup catcher as Wieters ascended to the lineup. Hence, a place for Knizner.
A 30th player is likely to be added before the Cardinals open up play Friday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Reliever Giovanny Gallegos, who led the team in pitching appearances last season, was delayed in his arrival to camp for reasons which have not been explained. He was placed on the injured list on July 13, though that assignment does not carry a mandatory number of days.
The Cardinals are likely to make a determination as to whether Gallegos is in sufficient condition to take up a roster spot before deciding between whether he or rookie righty Jake Woodford should be the 15th pitcher. Manager Mike Shildt has alluded to the possibility the Cardinals might roster Gallegos even if he was not in the best possible condition, owing to the flexibility afforded by the expanded roster.
The team has not yet announced the players who will make up its group of taxi squad players who are permitted to travel and train on road trips in order to allow for easier and safer roster adjustments. A team official indicated earlier this week the Cardinals would likely carry only two players on that squad even though three are permitted; if the maximum is reached, the third player must be a catcher, and Jose Godoy is expected instead to report to Springfield to work at the alternate training site there.
Remaining moves the Cardinals could make
Presumably, the Cardinals will carry one extra pitcher and one extra position player on that squad. Whichever of Gallegos or Woodford does not make the final roster cut would seem likely to be the extra pitcher. The extra position player could be a versatile option such as infielder Max Schrock, but may also be top outfield prospect Dylan Carlson.
Players on the taxi squad do not accrue service time, and placement there could allow the Cardinals to provide Carlson with exposure to the big leagues in the season’s first six days before considering more seriously whether to promote him to the active roster.
Whereas in previous years the Major League roster could expand to as many as 40 players in September, this season it instead decreases in number as time goes on. Teams must reduce to 28 players in two weeks, and further to 26 players two weeks after that.
