The combination of an upcoming roster crunch and the desire to see how Riley O’Brien’s “electric†stuff plays at the major league level led to the right-handed reliever’s return to the Cardinals on Tuesday.
O’Brien was recalled from Class AAA Memphis and rejoined the big club ahead of the second game of a four-game set against the San Diego Padres at Busch Stadium. Right-handed reliever Shawn Armstrong was designated for assignment to clear a 26-man roster spot for O’Brien.
“In talking to (Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak), he ... wanted to give a runway to Riley and see what that looks like at this level,†Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said of the roster move. “(O’Brien has) been pitching well down below, and we’re going to be in a roster crunch here in a few days anyways with (Steven) Matz and (Lance) Lynn coming back (from the injured list), so it was inevitable.â€
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Armstrong, 33, was acquired by the Cardinals just ahead of Major League Baseball’s July 30 trade deadline in a deal that sent switch-hitting outfielder Dylan Carlson to the Tampa Bay Rays. The righty appeared in 11 games and totaled 12â…” innings of relief for ºüÀêÊÓƵ. He posted a 2.84 ERA and had scoreless performances in his previous seven outings before Tuesday’s roster move.
The timing of Tuesday’s move will allow Armstrong to be eligible for a playoff roster if an interested team claims his off waivers or signs him if he reaches free agency. Armstrong must join a team’s 40-man roster before the roster deadline at 10:59 p.m. Aug. 31.
O’Brien, 29, last pitched in the majors on opening day (March 28) against the Dodgers. He completed one inning, allowed one run and struck out two in that outing in Los Angeles before landing on the injured list with a right forearm flexor strain. The righty faced delays in his recovery before returning to official game action July 20 while on a rehab assignment. He was optioned to Class AAA on Aug. 11 upon his activation from the injured list.
“It was tough, for sure,†O’Brien said of the injury setback. “Obviously, (I was) really excited to make an opening day roster, and then (I had) the setback and it definitely took longer than I was expecting. But I’m feeling good now, and I’m ready to go.â€
A November trade acquisition from the Seattle Mariners, O’Brien was a “bright spot†during spring training, where he posted a 0.90 ERA and struck out eight in 10 innings.
He described the slow progression from his injury as “just kind of how it went.â€
“It was hard to kind of sit there and watch everyone else throwing and not me, but I spent a lot of time being in the bullpen when the team was home, and I tried to almost just put myself in situations,†O’Brien said of the gap between outings. “Imaging that I would be throwing in this (situation) and trying to just, as best as I could, put myself in a spot that I wasn’t in right there. It’s definitely tough taking a lot of time off, but I’m feeling good now.â€
Since returning to game action, O’Brien has posted a 1.35 ERA across 13⅓ innings of work for Memphis. The 6-foot-4 righty flashed upper 90s velocity and a slider in the upper 80s with a 44% whiff rate as he struck out nine batters and held opponents to a .170 batting average in 14 Class AAA games.
O’Brien said his slider took some time to get a feel for. He related the progression with the breaking pitch to what is typical for him as he begins his build-up to throwing again during the offseason. He said the slider is “feeling back to normal and feeling sharp.â€
“I’m definitely excited. I felt like I was getting myself right in Triple-A, and I’m happy to be here,†O’Brien said.
The righty rejoins a Cardinals club that entered Tuesday 10½ games back of the Milwaukee Brewers for the lead in the National League Central and six games back of the Atlanta Braves in the race for the third wild-card spot in the NL.
The righty joins a bullpen that has used the likes of Andrew Kittredge and Ryan Fernandez as high-leverage right-handed arms.
When asked how O’Brien may be deployed, Marmol said they will “let the game dictate it.â€
O’Brien likened his rehab assignment to a spring training progression. As for his return to the majors, he said it “does kind of feel like I’m going into another season.â€
Conteras update
Cardinals starting catcher Willson Contreras will have three weeks of no impact before he can begin a rehab progression for his fractured right middle finger but will not have surgery on the finger, Marmol told reporters, including Post-Dispatch baseball writer Lynn Worthy, after Monday’s game.
There remains a possibility for Contreras to return this season from the injured list after suffering the fracture Saturday when he was hit on the hand by a pitch during the Cardinals’ road series against the Minnesota Twins.
Extra bases
Matz (lower back strain) made a rehab start in Des Moines, Iowa, for Class AAA Memphis. He was scheduled to throw around 65 pitches.
Michael Siani (right oblique strain) began a rehab assignment in Wichita, Kansas, with Class AA Springfield (Missouri). Siani started in center field and was slated for five innings.