The highs and lows that came with debuting against a group of Mets hitters that included some of New York’s marquee players were enough for Cardinals rookie Chris Roycroft to see what his stuff could do.
As the Cardinals look for an additional right-handed reliever who can be deployed in late-inning leverage spots, that experience has provided the 26-year-old some “confidence†that could be leaned on as he bids for those opportunities.
“I think once I did debut and I had the debut that I had, I had that roller coaster of emotions and kind of almost experienced pretty much everything,†Roycroft said on Thursday, recalling his first MLB appearance that began with a strikeout of Francisco Lindor and a homer allowed to Pete Alonso. “... Just having that experience just gave me the confidence I needed to be like OK, now it’s just going to work every day.â€
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Roycroft continued to make a case for late-inning spots with a scoreless 1 2/3 innings on Thursday. He entered the series opener against Colorado with one out in the eighth inning and ºüÀêÊÓƵ trailing 3-2. The righty induced two groundouts to finish the top of the eighth then returned to strike out the side in the top of the ninth on 17 pitches. All three of the strikeouts were swinging.
“I just filled the zone up, threw strikes, and was confident in my ability,†Roycroft said of his Thursday outing. “I’ve been getting a lot more confidence up there and I’m just trying to put the team in a position to win.â€
The scoreless 1 2/3 innings marked Roycroft’s second consecutive scoreless outing, which he followed with two scoreless innings on Saturday. The former undrafted free agent owns a 3.38 ERA in 10 2/3 innings across eight relief appearances. He has struck out 12 batters and entered Saturday with a 35.5% chase rate.
He’s provided a right-handed option from Marmol’s bullpen as righty Giovanny Gallegos continues rehabbing a right shoulder injury and as ºüÀêÊÓƵ looks for another late-inning righty to prevent overusing Andrew Kittredge.
“That was some really good stuff out of (Roycroft),†Marmol said after the Cardinals’ 3-2 loss on Thursday. “... You got two high-ground ball guys and then some guys that have some swing-and-miss in their game and you got two ground balls and then punch out the other three. What we saw out of him today was electric.â€
As he’s been optioned and recalled twice between the majors and minors following his early May debut, Roycroft emphasized the ability to quickly adapt as a key for him to continue producing in the majors. He sees his late-inning experience for Triple-A Memphis, where he had a 0.98 ERA in 18 1/3 innings, as a foundation for the confidence needed in the big leagues.
Confidence he feels establishes a “mantra.â€
“I just go out there and I have to think like, ‘Hey, you’re the best out there.’ That’s the way you have to think up there,†he said. “If you don’t then you’re doing yourself a disadvantage.â€
Hudson returns to Busch Stadium
Former Cardinal Dakota Hudson could best describe his return to Busch Stadium as “a little bit odd†considering how much time he spent with the club that selected him in the first round of the 2016 draft.
“Being back in the atmosphere, seeing what it’s like from this perspective, it’s definitely different,†the Rockies starter said on Saturday.
Hudson, who was not scheduled to pitch in the four-game series, signed with the Rockies in early January after he became a free agent once the Cardinals non-tendered him last November.
Hudson, 29, pitched in 114 games — 79 of which were starts — for the Cardinals after making his MLB debut in 2018. The righty finished fifth in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2019 after he went 16-7 with a 3.35 ERA and completed 174 2/3 innings. He made eight starts in 2020 before requiring Tommy John surgery that year. Hudson made 39 starts and had a 4.55 ERA in three years following the elbow surgery.
Hudson said his first experience as a free agent was “an interesting process†that involved a lot of waiting and conversations with different teams before agreeing to a one-year, $1.5-million deal with the Rockies.
“I got over here and this team has welcomed me with open arms, and they’ve worked with me on quite a few things, but it’s all about getting better here and all about progressing in the best way you can,†said Hudson, who has a 2-7 record and a 5.25 ERA in 12 starts with the Rockies. “Lots of young talent here. The oddest thing is being one of the older guys. That’s been an interesting, different kind of role I’ve been in, but also one that I’ve enjoyed.â€
Extra Bases
- Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol did not name a starter for Sunday’s series finale.
- Willson Contreras (left arm fracture) was said to have felt well after catching his first bullpen on Friday. Contreras began to take swings on Saturday after he was cleared by doctors to begin full baseball activities.
- Steven Matz’s next rehab will come with Double-A Springfield on Tuesday and look to throw between 40 and 45 pitches. The left-hander made his first rehab start on Thursday with Triple-A Memphis and completed two innings on 24 pitches. He has been on the IL with a lower back strain since early May.
- Riley O’Brien threw his third bullpen session Saturday and could be scheduled to begin a rehab assignment as early as Tuesday if he recovers well. The right-hander pitched on opening day and has been on the IL with a flexor strain since March 31.
- Nick Robertson threw a normal bullpen on Saturday after throwing a lower-intensity bullpen on Wednesday.