Cardinals option Nolan Gorman to Class AAA Memphis, recall Jose Fermin to majors
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The Cardinals optioned opening day second baseman Norman Gorman to Class AAA Memphis on Wednesday amid his struggles at the plate, which have included 151 strikeouts in 107 games and an MLB-worst 37.6% strikeout rate.
Infielder Jose Fermin was recalled in a corresponding move.
While in the majors this year, Gorman has batted .203 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs. Gorman’s 19 home runs entering Wednesday tied him with Paul Goldschmidt for the second-most by a Cardinals hitter this season and were two shy of matching Alec Burleson’s 21 homers for the team lead.
But the left-handed-hitting infielder who led the Cardinals in home runs with 27 a year ago ranked in just the 1st percentile in whiff rate (38.7%) this season and had seven hits and 11 strikeouts in his most recent 33 at-bats.
In the Cardinals’ 3-2 loss on Tuesday to the Brewers, Gorman went hitless with three strikeouts in four at-bats. His third strikeout in the series opener vs. the National League Central leaders ended the game and left the bases loaded.
Following Gorman's option, Brendan Donovan is expected to take on a regular role at second base. Donovan had played a mostly left field this year. The positional shift would allow outfield trade-deadline acquisition Tommy Pham to get more starting opportunities and for designated hitter Matt Carpenter to get more at-bats after he was activated from the injured list on Tuesday.
Prior to Wednesday's game between the Brewers and Cardinals, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said the "less stressful" environment of the minor leagues will allow Gorman to continue working through swing mechanics while getting regular playing time with Memphis.
The move to option Gorman comes a day after the Cardinals optioned Jordan Walker and recalled Luken Baker from Class AAA.
Fermin, 25, last appeared in the majors on July 6. The infielder has batted .311 with a .924 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) and a career-high eight home runs in 61 games with Class AAA Memphis. He is expected to provide infield depth now that he is back in the majors.
The Cardinals entered Wednesday 2-8 in their past 10 games. They trailed the Brewers by 12 games in the NL Central standings and were six games behind the Braves in the chase for the third and final NL wild-card spot. The Mets, Giants and Cubs (in that order) were ahead of the Cardinals in the NL wild-card standings at the start of Wednesday.
Hochman: Cardinals draw smallest crowds (non-pandemic) in Busch Stadium III history
Cardinals-Brewers, Busch Stadium, as the Cards take the field for the top of the 1st.
— Benjamin Hochman (@hochman)
At first pitch Wednesday, the temperature at Busch Stadium was 73 degrees, just a lovely spring-like night under a sky still beaming blue.
It was, quite possibly, the perfect night to go out to the ballgame.
And few people did.
Smallest non-pandemic crowds at current Busch Stadium
Through Wednesday, Aug. 21, six of the nine smallest non-pandemic crowds at Busch Stadium III have come in 2024. The pandemic-influenced 2020 and 2021 seasons are not included.
Source: baseball-reference.com
Date
Attendance
Opponent
Result
8/21/2024
29,580
MIL
W, 10-6 (10)
8/20/2024
30,022
MIL
L, 3-2
9/5/2012
30,090
TBR
W, 5-2
8/23/2012
30,343
TEX
W, 10-1
6/14/2022
31,193
NYM
L, 4-3
5/6/2024
31,283
PHI
W, 3-0
7/31/2024
31,365
PIT
W, 3-1
8/7/2024
31,401
NYM
L, 6-2
4/9/2024
31,972
HOU
W, 13-5
Fans were scattered about. Full rows empty. Even some sections empty. With the sea of red seats, it looked like a game in Cincinnati.
This is how bad things are. It’s as if there’s a bizarro version of “Field of Dreams.” Maybe a “Field of Nightmares.” I can hear James Earl Jones’ character discussing the 2024 Ƶ Cardinals:
“People won’t come, Ray. They won’t come to Busch Stadium for reasons they can't even fathom ...”
But the reasons are the reality. The 2024 Cardinals aren’t good. And the 2023 Cardinals weren’t good. And the 2022 Cardinals and 2021 Cardinals didn’t win one game in the playoffs. And the Cardinals are in line to miss their fifth postseason in nine years.
And so in this midweek series against the Brewers, people didn’t come. On Tuesday, the night before, the Cardinals’ announced crowd was 30,022 — the lowest non-pandemic-era crowd since Busch Stadium III opened in 2006.
Wednesday night, attendance was 29,550, another new attendance low for the stadium — and the first time it has ever held fewer than 30,000 fans for a Cardinals game outside of the pandemic era.
On these pages, we’ve been screaming for weeks about the Cardinals’ underachievement. Well, now the fans have spoken.
Enough is enough.
The Cardinals are broken.
Entering Wednesday’s game against the first-place Brewers, the Cardinals (61-64) were 12 games back. And in the wild-card race — and man, a wild-card spot sure seemed achievable for much of the summer — Ƶ sat six games back of the final spot.
Yes, it’s fair to point out that the crowds sometimes get smaller in late August and September — kids are back in school, so game nights become school nights. Still, the fact that the crowd set a dubious record shows the fans are disenchanted with this franchise that could once do no wrong.
Fittingly, Tuesday’s game was one you would have wanted to miss. Each loss gets more painful, doesn't it? This was one spectacularly brutal. For the second consecutive game, the Cardinals tallied just six hits (in Tuesday’s game against Milwaukee, though, they drew two walks, compared to one in the previous loss to Los Angeles).
Ƶ Cardinals pitcher Erick Fedde goes to work in the first inning of a game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
On Tuesday, the Cardinals trailed in the eighth inning, 3-0. Pinch hitter Matt Carpenter hit a two-run homer to play with hearts.
Down 3-2, the Cards loaded the bases in the ninth.
There was only one out.
And huge names were coming up.
But this was simply a sequel to Sunday’s finish.
That day, the great Nolan Arenado came up with a chance to tie the game — and he hit into a game-ending double play.
After Monday’s day off, perennial All-Star Paul Goldschmidt came to bat with the bases loaded.
Struck out.
And then Nolan Gorman came to the plate.
Sure enough, he struck out. Cards lost, again. And it proved to be Gorman’s last at-bat for at least a bit. The once-touted slugger was sent down to Class AAA on Wednesday. This is just the latest signal of the 2024 season’s direction ... and symbol of how much the season is a disaster.
The simultaneous demise of Arenado and Goldschmidt has been stunning, but Gorman’s regression is repugnant. Sure, he was always a homer-or-strikeout guy. But this season, he’s been basically a strikeout-or-strikeout guy. His 37.6% strikeout rate is the worst in Major League Baseball. Meanwhile, his home run rate dropped a full percentage point, and his walk rate dropped nearly three percentage points. Heck, I thought he’d hit 35 homers this year. But now, as he heads to Memphis with 19, one wonders if he’ll even get a chance to crack No. 20?
This season, sheesh. The Cardinals needed to make the playoffs to prove 2023 was an outlier. Instead, that type of year is now the norm.
The fans feel it. They booed president of baseball operations John Mozeliak on opening day at Busch. Now, the fans are expressing their frustration by staying away from Busch.
The 2024 Cardinals, built by Mozeliak, have two superstars playing their worst seasons. The starting pitching ran out of gas a couple of months too soon. Top prospect Jordan Walker was sent down, then called up to platoon for a week, then sent down again, in what appeared jarring and unproductive. Gorman now joins him in the minors. Other key players are having down years. The overall hitting is average under coach Turner Ward — and preposterously worse with runners in scoring position. And on and on and on.
Like I recently wrote — getting swept at Cincinnati last week sure seemed like the mortal wound for the season.
Tuesday’s game — the result and the attendance — sure back that up.
MLB's biggest attendance drops this season
A look at the teams with the largest declines in attendance from last year to this year, through games of Tuesday, Aug. 20.
In today’s 10 a.m. “Ten Hochman” sports video — brought to you by — Ben Hochman discusses the Cardinals series against the first-place Brewers! Also, a happy birthday shoutout to Tom Brunansky! And as always, Hochman picks a random Ƶ Cards card!
Kyle Gibson, free-falling Cardinals seek rare win over Brewers: First Pitch
As the slumping Cardinals watch their playoff hopes slip away, they continue a home series Wednesday against the first-place Brewers, a team that has dominated the Redbirds this year. First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m.
On Wednesday, right-hander Kyle Gibson (7-5, 4.26) will take the mound for the Cardinals.
Gibson allowed six earned runs and a season-worst four homers in his last outing, at Cincinnati.
He has a 5.70 ERA over his last nine starts, from June 26 on.
The Brewers will counter with rookie right-hander Tobias Myers (6-5, 2.81).
He hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last six starts.
Myers is the 10th most valuable rookie starter this season, per Fangraphs wins above replacement value, and his ERA ranks fifth-best among qualified rookie starters.
The Cardinals are 61-64, third in the NL Central and 12 games behind Milwaukee for first. Ƶ has lost seven of eight and is 5-12 in August.
The Cardinals have been the National League's worst offensive team of late, with an NL-worst .679 OPS in August and a league-low 56 runs scored this month. The Redbirds are averaging 3.3 runs per game in August.
The Brewers are 73-52, first in the NL Central and 12-5 in August. They're a game behind the Dodgers for the National League's best record.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Masyn Winn, SS
2. Alec Burleson, RF
3. Willson Contreras, C
4. Brendan Donovan, 2B
5. Nolan Arenado, 3B
6. Lars Nootbaar, CF
7. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
8. Matt Carpenter, DH
9. Tommy Pham, LF
P: Kyle Gibson, RHP
BREWERS
1. Brice Turang, 2B
2. Jackson Chourio, LF
3. Garrett Mitchell, CF
4. William Contreras, C
5. Willy Adames, SS
6. Tyler Black, DH
7. Rhys Hoskins, 1B
8. Sal Frelick, RF
9. Joey Ortiz, 3B
P: Tobias Myers, RHP
Injury report
Lance Lynn (knee strain): Veteran right-hander threw the equivalent of three innings in a live batting practice session on Tuesday. He increased the intensity with each inning of the session. He has been eligible to come off the IL since August 14, but the Cardinals have him slated to throw another live batting practice session next Monday. Updated Aug. 20
Steven Matz (lower back stiffness): The left-hander threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings in his start for Triple-A Memphis on a minor-league rehab assignment on August 16. Matz will make another start for Memphis on Wednesday. He's expected to throw approximately 85-90 pitches in that outing. Updated Aug. 20
Michael Siani (oblique strain): He was cleared to begin swinging a bat Saturday and began a swing progression over the weekend that had him in the cage Sunday. The Cardinals will get a better sense of how quickly Siani can progress in his rehab once he begins a swing program. Updated Aug. 18
Ten Hochman: Wait, Kyle Gibson’s ERA in his past 9 starts is what?
How the Brewers targeted Paul Goldschmidt in the 9th inning of the Cardinals 3-2 loss
Fans react after Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (46) strikes out with the bases loaded in the ninth inning of a game against the Brewers on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium.
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
One of Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol’s common refrains throughout the early months of the season was that the club needed star players like Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado to be impactful offensive performers for the club to reach its goals.
Marmol’s earlier comments typically came in the context of expressing confidence in their pending turnaround and faith in his veteran cornerstones' work ethic and will despite struggles at the plate.
With fewer than 40 game remaining in the season and the Cardinals looking a long way up at the Milwaukee Brewers in the standings, time has undoubtedly run short for the Cardinals to make a postseason push and for their stars to change the outlook of their individual seasons.
Defeats such as the one the Cardinals suffered at the hands of the Brewers on Tuesday night, a spirit-dampening 3-2 loss in front of an announced crowd of 30,022 — the lowest non-pandemic era crowd in the history of Busch Stadium III — are enough to raise the doubts about whether it’s too late.
“I just haven’t been able to perform and help us win enough,” Goldschmidt said following his ninth-inning strikeout with the bases loaded. “I’ve had more nights like tonight where I’ve probably cost us the game than helped us in. Obviously, that’s not what you want. I’ll just try to keep working and try to help us win and do whatever I can.”
Ƶ Cardinals Nolan Gorman strikes out with the bases loaded in the ninth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 win on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
With the tying run on third base, the winning run on second base and the game hanging in the balance, Brewers manager Pat Murphy decided to intentionally walk Lars Nootbaar with his two-time All-Star relief pitcher Devin Williams on the mound in order to pitch to Goldschmidt.
Instead of going after the left-handed hitting Nootbaar, who’d singled in his previous at-bat, Murphy assessed the situation and chose the strategic move of walking the bases loaded to keep the double play possibility alive and lean on the platoon matchup with the right-handed Williams attacking the right-handed hitting Goldschmidt — the former NL MVP, seven-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger Award winner.
Murphy's move worked. Goldschmidt struck out swinging. His bat got a piece of the 2-2 changeup from Williams, but Brewers catcher William Contreras held onto the foul tip for strike three.
“Obviously, it’s disappointing, but it’s part of the competition of the game,” Goldschmidt said of his final at-bat. “Yeah, I obviously would’ve loved to get the job done and get a hit and win the game. Give Devin Williams credit. He made some good pitches and struck me out, beat me right there."
The Cardinals offense had scuffled throughout the night. Brewers starting pitcher Frankie Montas held them to one hit and one walk in seven scoreless innings.
The Cardinals (61-64) didn’t even put a runner in scoring position against Montas (6-8).
Cardinals starting pitcher Erick Fedde (8-7) gave his club a puncher’s chance in his fourth start since being acquired from the Chicago White Sox on July 29. Fedde allowed two runs on six hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings.
The first run Fedde allowed came after he walked two batters with one out in the second inning. Sal Frelick’s two-out RBI single made Fedde pay for those walks and gave the Brewers (73-52) the lead.
Frelick played a key role in the second run Fedde allowed in the fifth inning. Frelick smacked a one-out triple into the right field corner, and he scored one batter later on Joey Ortiz’s single.
“I just look at that run in the second inning as shooting myself in the foot with the two walks,” Fedde said. “That’s obviously a big run in the game. The one later on, a triple and a single, sometimes that happens. I wish I could’ve had that run back earlier in the game.
“Overall, at least I kept us in the game. We played some great defense today. The guys picked me up and made me feel much better about the outing.”
The Brewers increased their lead to 3-0 on Contreras’ RBI double off of Cardinals lefty reliever John King in the eighth inning.
The Cardinals offense found life in the bottom of the eighth when Nootbaar singled. Then with two outs, Marmol went to veteran slugger Matt Carpenter off the bench as a pinch hitter.
Carpenter bashed an 0-1 fastball from Brewers reliever Nick Mears over the right field wall and an estimated 374 feet from home plate for a two-run home run.
Carpenter’s sixth career pinch-hit home run pulled the Cardinals within a run. The Cardinals got the tying run on base when Masyn Winn beat out an infield single, but they could not get him home to even the score. Pinch hitter Tommy Pham was called out on strikes to end the inning.
In the ninth, the Cardinals had back-to-back hits with one out. Brendan Donovan singled up the middle and Arenado lined an opposite-field double that put runners on second and third.
That set up the decision by Murphy to walk Nootbaar.
"Some would've said I'm crazy, you know? This time it worked,” Murphy told reporters after the game. “I don't plan on ever walking a person intentionally in front of Goldy ever again, but this time it worked. I think we escaped, and it's maybe only with Devin, the way he's throwing the ball.”
Goldschmidt entered the game batting .230 with a .290 on-base percentage, a .391 slugging percentage and 19 home runs. Goldschmidt, 36, has a career slash line of .288/.382/.510 with 359 career homers and 1,171 RBIs.
“I wasn’t thinking, I was just getting ready for the at-bat,” Goldschmidt said of the Brewers intentional walk in front of him. “Whether it was that situation or (something else), I was probably going to bat in that inning unless something happened. I knew I was up fifth, so it was really going to be, probably, me if we were going to have a chance to win the game unless someone hit a homer before me.
“Regardless of the intentional walk, I was basically getting my mind prepared even the inning before on defense — knowing I was up fifth and knowing they were going to bring in Devin Williams and that if I came up I’d have a chance to tie or win the game with guys on base. The intentional walk didn’t really affect anything.”
Williams had retired 16 consecutive batters before he allowed back-to-back hits by Donovan and Arenado.
“No one is going to wear it harder than Goldy,” Marmol said. “He’s highly frustrated and wants to come through there. Its’ tough to watch him right now, just because he’s wearing it more than anybody. If there’s anybody working their (butt) off and getting after it and wanting to come through there, it’s him. It’s tough that he didn’t.”
After Goldschmidt’s at-bat, Nolan Gorman had the final shot to extend the game. Gorman, who has struggled at the plate (.203 batting average) and seen his strikeout numbers climb this season (37.2% strikeout rate), struck out swinging to end the game.
The Cardinals left the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth in the one-run loss to the team they’re chasing in the NL Central Division. They fell 12 games behind the Brewers with the loss, their seventh consecutive loss to the Brewers at Busch Stadium.
Photos: Cardinals offense again comes up short in 3-2 loss to Brewers
Fans react after Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (46) strikes out with the bases loaded in the ninth inning of a game against the Brewers on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium.
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals strikes out Nolan Gorman in the ninth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 win on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals second base Nolan Gorman walks back to the dug after striking out in the ninth inning of Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 win on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals Matt Carpenter celebrates his pinch hit 2RBI home run in the eighth inning of a game as the Milwaukee Brewers lead 3-2 on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals Matt Carpenter celebrates his pinch hit 2RBI home run in the eighth inning of a game as the Milwaukee Brewers lead 3-2 on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Cardinals right fielder Lars Nootbaar dives to catch a fly ball hit by Brewers infielder Joey Ortiz in the seventh inning Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium.
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals Lars Nootbaar congratulates Matt Carpenter celebrates Carpenter's pinch hit 2RBI home run in the eighth inning of a game as the Milwaukee Brewers lead 3-2 on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II can't catch a RBI double by Milwaukee Brewers William Contreras in the eighth inning of a game as the Milwaukee Brewers lead 3-0 on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II can't catch a RBI double by Milwaukee Brewers William Contreras in the eighth inning of a game as the Milwaukee Brewers lead 3-0 on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals third base Nolan Arenado fields a grounder by Milwaukee Brewers by Brice Turang and throws to first for an out in the seventh inning of game Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado throws his helmet after striking out to end the seventh inning of a game against the Brewers on Tuesday.
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol takes the game ball away from starting pitcher Erick Fedde in the sixth inning of a game as the Milwaukee Brewers lead 2-0 on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol takes the game ball away from starting pitcher Erick Fedde in the sixth inning of a game as the Milwaukee Brewers lead 2-0 on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn tags out Milwaukee Brewers Joey Ortiz who was trying to steal second base in the fifth inning on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals pitcher Erick Fedde walks off the field after giving up a run in the fifth inning of a game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals pitching coach Dusty Blake talks with pitcher Erick Fedde in the third inning of a game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals Nolan Gorman strikes out in the third inning of a game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Cardinals starting pitcher Erick Fedde goes to work in the fourth inning of a game against the Brewers on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium.
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals pitcher Erick Fedde (12) beats Milwaukee Brewers Garrett Mitchell to first base for an out on a throw from first baseman Paul Goldschmidt who fielded his ground ball during the third inning on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals pitcher Erick Fedde sits in the dugout in the second inning of a game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman puts a tag late on Milwaukee Brewers Sal Frelick as he steals second in the second inning on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn takes to the field at the start of a game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Ƶ Cardinals pitcher Erick Fedde goes to work in the first inning of a game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt speaks with the media on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, after a game vs. the Brewers at Busch Stadium. (Video by Ethan Erickson, Post-Dispatch)
As Cardinals prospect Brycen Mautz K’s 12, Thomas Saggese displays power: Minor League Report
Cardinals prospect and former second-round pick Brycen Mautz built off one of his strongest starts of the year by throwing perhaps his best thus far on Tuesday night for Class High-A Peoria.
After delivering six scoreless innings a week ago, Mautz struck out a career-high 12 batters and allowed one run on four hits over seven innings in Peoria’s 2-1 win over Fort Wayne. Mautz, 23, did not walk a batter in the outing. The lone run the left-hander surrendered came in the sixth inning after Mautz allowed a leadoff double to Wyatt Hoffman followed by a single from Kai Murphy that scored Hoffman.
Mautz’s 12 strikeouts were the most he’s recorded as a professional player since he made his debut a year ago. The former second-round (59th overall) pick from the 2022 MLB draft struck out 11 on April 19, 2023 while in Class Low-A.
On Tuesday, Mautz faced one batter over the minimum through his first four innings of work and struck out eight batters in that stretch. The lone hit allowed by the 23-year-old was a two-out single to Ethan Salas, the Padres’ top prospect and one of the top catching prospects in all of baseball. The next TinCaps hitter to reach base against Mautz was Devin Ortiz, who singled to leadoff the fifth inning.
The quality start improved Mautz to a 3-12 record after he began the year 0-10. In seven stars since July 11, Mautz has sported a 3.49 ERA and struck out 41 batters in 38 2/3 innings. He’s lowered his ERA from 6.34 to 5.33 and held a 3-3 record.
Here are other prospect performances from around the Cardinals' system:
Infielder Thomas Saggese, Class AAA Memphis: As Memphis’s starting shortstop, Saggese went two-for-four with a solo home run that had a 106.9 mph exit velocity and a double during Memphis’s 8-7 win over Charlotte. The performance was Saggese’s first with multiple extra-base hits since July 14. Saggese, 22, has now homered in four of the last five games he’s played in for Memphis. The 22-year-old has homered six time in his 69 at-bats in August after homers in six time in 169 at-bats across June and July. Saggese has a .269 average in his previous 17 games.
Right-handed pitcher Gordon Graceffo, Class AAA Memphis: Graceffo allowed five runs on four hits and a walk before he could record an out against Charlotte hitters during his Tuesday start. He reponsded by throwing three scoreless innings to leave the game with a pitching line that included five runs allowed on eight hits over four innings. Graceffo walked two batters and struck out two on 89 pitches. He had a 19% whiff rate in the outing with all five of the whiffs he got from Charlotte batters coming on his fastball, which averaged 91.7 mph and reached 95.2 mph, per Statcast. Graceffo entered the start with a 2.93 ERA over his previous three outings. Before allowing a two-run home run in the first inning on Tuesday, Graceffo had not given up a home run since July 23.
Right-handed pitcher Sem Robberse, Class Low-A Palm Beach (minor league rehab assignment): The right-hander made his second appearance since beginning his minor league rehab assignment on Aug. 14. Robberse, who is recovering from an elbow strain, complete two innings on 37 pitches (24 strikes). He allowed four hits and one run, which was unearned. Of Robberse’s 37 pitches, 20 were fastballs. He averaged 90.5 mph with the fastball and reached a maximum velocity of 92.2 mph, per Statcast. Robberse has totaled three innings since beginning his rehab assignment.
Outfielder Joshua Baez, Class Low-A Palm Beach: Baez, the Cardinals’ second round pick from the 2021 MLB draft, was reinstated from the development list and added to Palm Beach’s roster for the start of Tuesday’s road series against St. Lucie. The 21-year-old went hitless in two at-bats and struck out twice. Prospects can be placed on the development list in order to allow them to continue training with a team without being on its active roster. In Baez’s case, the placement on Palm Beach’s development list allowed him to remain with Palm Beach and in Jupiter, Florida at the Cardinals’ training facility. Baez was placed on the development on July 30 after he batted .225 with 97 strikeouts in 71 games with Class High-A Peoria. His appearance in Tuesday’s game was his first since his reassignment.
Paul Goldschmidt: 'I've had more nights like tonight where I've cost us the game than helped us win'
Cardinals manager Oli Marmol: To make playoffs, 'we're going to have to score more runs'
